UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


ROBERT  ERNEST  COWAN 


tlr- 

\f> 


AN    EPIC 


STARRY   HEAVEN. 


THOMAS    L.    HARRIS. 


PARTRIDGE     &     BRITTAN, 

342    BROADWAY. 
1855. 


TITO  \f.\S    L.    HARRIS, 


'201  William  SlrecL 


TS 


W-  «.  I 


277201 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  ordinary  and  familiar  operations  of  the  human  mind  are  gener- 
ally accepted  as  the  measure  and  standard  of  its  normal  activity  and 
capacity.  Accordingly,  whenever  the  faculties  exhibit  unusual  intensity 
and  power,  or  are  exercised  on  subjects  which  far  transcend  the  range 
of  popular  thought,  even  the  noblest  efforts  are  regarded  as  abnormal 
eccentricities.  It  was  long  since  proved — i.  e.,  if  the  vote  of  the  major- 
ity can  settle  a  question  of  this  nature — that  the  multitudes  who  occupy 
the  plane  of  the  common  mind  are  preeminently  compos  mentis.  Having 
no  decided  mental  and  moral  qualities  to  distinguish  them  one  from 
another,  they  conclude  that  they  are  free  from  angularities,  and  are 
most  symmetrically  developed.  Being  self-constituted  judges  of  others 
as  well  as  of  themselves,  they  assume  the  right  to  decide  who  is  crazy 
and  who  is  devilish.  They  seldom  or  never  question  the  senses  nor  the 
judgment  of  those  who  are  free  from  new  ideas ;  but  the  man  who 
dreamed  last  night  of  the  next  grand  discovery,  whether  it  be  a  new 
continent,  another  planet,  or  an  additional  motive  power,  is  treated  as  a 
visionary  this  morning,  though  the  day  may  realize  all  that  his  dream 
foreshadowed.  The  world  regards  its  own ;  and  in  every  age  the  man 
who  has  approved  the  existing  government,  however  oppressive,  who  has 
revered  the  established  religion,  however  corrupt,  and  defended  the 
prevailing  philosophies  and  customs,  however  (superficial  and  absurd,  has 
been  the  accredited  example  of  human  consistency,  and,  it  may  be,  the 
oracle  of  the  people.  The  most  devoted  worshiper  at  the  shrine  of  art, 
the  wisest  philosopher,  the  founder  of  a  new  science,  and  the  advocates 
of  the  latest  and  the  noblest  reforms  are  often  treated  as  mere  enthusi- 
asts, and  accused  of  profaning  the  altars  and  dishonoring  the  memory 
of  the  dead.  Men  of  sense  are  weary  of  the  repetition  of  this  solemn, 


11  INTRODUCTION. 

senseless  farce ;  but  it  furnishes  knaves  with  congenial  employment  and 
fools  with  agreeable  entertainment,  and  so  the  play  goes  on.  The  in- 
spired teachers  of  every  age  and  nation— in  whose  souls  the  thoughts  of 
angels  and  the  revolutions  of  earth  and  time  are  born — have  been  de- 
rided and  condemned,  and  still  the  thoughtless  world  in  its  rude  and 
sensual  delirium  scourges,  incarcerates,  and  crucifies  its  benefactors  and 
its  saviors ! 

The  idea  is  exceedingly  prevalent,  even  now,  that  the  world  is  chiefly 
indebted  to  a  diseased  action  of  the  human  mind  for  the  results  which 
have  contributed  most  essentially  to  enlighten  and  exalt  mankind.  The 
proudest  monuments  of  art,  the  discoveries  in  physical  science,  and  the 
progress  in  mental,  moral,  and  spiritual  philosophy,  no  less  than  the  airy 
visions  and  ideal  conceptions  of  the  poet,  have  been  the  legitimate  off- 
spring of  those  who  were  denominated  dreamers,  until  the  great  thoughts 
which  eluded  the  grasp  of  cotemporaneous  millions  were  simplified  and 
systematized  for  the  instruction  of  the  common  mind.  Those  who  give 
birth  to  divine  ideas  are  anathematized,  while  those  who  incarnate  the 
same  in  material  forms  of  use  are  respected.  The  world  is  alike  stupid 
in  its  judgment  and  blind  in  its  idolatry.  The  miserable  hypothesis  by 
which  Materialism  attempts  to  solve  the  problem  before  us,  lies  in  our 
way,  but  it  may  be  speedily  dissected  and  removed.  It  is  conjectured 
that  a  morbid  irritability  of  certain  portions  of  the  brain  occasions  great 
functional  intensity  and  power ;  hence  the  convergence  of  mental  forces 
as  exhibited  in  the  production  of  the  mind's  most  enduring  memorials. 
Thus  it  is  virtually  assumed,  that  only  those  who  creep  on  the  earth  ex- 
hibit a  healthy  activity  and  a  normal  development.  If  one  has  a  dispo- 
sition to  ascend  into  the  ethereal  realms,  or  is  gifted  with  a  power  to 
unlock  the  secrets  of  Nature  and  unveil  the  mysteries  of  the  Heavens, 
he  is  at  once  presumed  to  be  physically  and  mentally  diseased.  It  is  a 
fact,  that  not  only  the  medical  faculty,  but  most  men,  have  been  wont  to 
regard  the  powers  of  the  somnambule  and  the  clairvoyant,  whether 
naturally  developed  or  induced  by  artificial  processes,  as  the  product  of 
existing  nervous  derangement,  or  of  some  temporary  cerebral  excite- 
ment. They  attempt  to  dispose  of  all  modern  spiritual  experiences  in  the 
same  manner,  and  thus  strike  at  the  foundation  of  all  revelations,  an- 
cient and  modern,  and  at  the  common  faith  of  the  world.  Thus  the 
clearest  proofs  of  the  Divine  origin,  creative  power,  and  cxal'ed  destiny  of 
the  human  mind  are  ascribed  to  disease  !  But  is  the  mind  most  potent 
when  the  whole  man  is  sick?  and  are  its  highest  objects  obtained  when 


INTRODUCTION.  lii 

its  laws  are  infringed  and  subverted  ?  Must  it  become  delirious  to  solve 
the  problems  which  mock  the  calm  and  orderly  exercise  of  its  powers  ? 
Is  it  the  prerogative  of  the  mind  to  dive  and  not  to  soar  1  And  are  only 
madmen  commissioned  to  unfold  celestial  harmonies  and  to  bring  the 
kingdom  of  peace  on  earth  ?  No ;  it  is  not  so.  It  requires  no  argument 
to  satisfy  the  rational  mind  that  the  highest  achievements  of  which 
man's  nature  is  capable  will  be  realized  when  he  acts  consistently  with 
the  laws  of  his  being.  The  mind  can  only  exhibit  its  greatest  power 
when  left  to  its  normal  action,  for  then  there  is  no  resistance,  but  all  its 
energies  cooperate  and  tend  to  the  same  result.  We  must  not  abruptly 
conclude  that  the  ordinary  operations  of  mind,  as  illustrated  in  the  com- 
mon pursuits  of  men,  are  altogether  consistent  with  the  laws  of  its  consti- 
tution, merely  because  they  are  most  familiar  to  us.  Such,  a  conclusion 
is  conformable  to  our  self-love  rather  than  to  the  truth.  And  if  we  can 
not  rationally  accept  the  familiar  operations  of  mind  as  indicating  the 
measure  and  the  mode  of  its  legitimate  exercise  and  normal  capabilities, 
away  goes  the  stupid  and  degrading  assumption  that  its  noblest  gifts  are 
dependent  on  some  corporeal  derangement  rather  than  on  God,  and  its 
own  immortal  faculties  as  exercised  in  the  realm  of  spiritual  relations 
and  divine  activities. 

The  remarkable  powers  of  the  human  mind,  as  developed  in  men  of 
genius,  or  displayed  by  the  seers  and  prophets  of  all  ages,  may  be  ration- 
ally referred  to  a  kind  of  natural  inspiration  and  spiritual  influence,  of 
which  the  mind  may  be,  and,  indeed,  must  be,  receptive  in  the  higher 
planes  of  its  thought  and  development.  We  necessarily  derive  our  im- 
pressions from  the  principles  and  objects  with  which  we  sustain  intimate 
relations.  When,  therefore,  the  mind  is  profoundly  engrossed  with  inte- 
rior realities,  it  is  proportionably  withdrawn  from  all  the  objects  which 
appeal  to  the  senses,  and  as  naturally  receives  influxes  from  the  realms 
of  the  Invisible,  as  at  other  times  it  perceives  the  presence  and  distin- 
guishes the  forms  and  qualities  of  more  material  creations.  Not  only 
may  this  idea  of  inspiration  be  entertained  consistently  with  the  laws 
and  relations  of  the  human  mind,  but  it  can  only  be  rejected  at  the  sac- 
rifice of  our  better  judgment.  All  original  thoughts,  and  every  creation 
of  divine  beauty  and  use,  may  be  supposed  to  emanate  from  that  ideal 
realm— from  the  Spiritual  World.  Else  why  are  they  born  in  momenta 
of  profound  abstraction,  when  by  intense  mental  concentration  the  senses 
are  deadened  and  the  soul  is  quickened  ?  Will  the  materialist  tell  us 
why  the  spiritual  element  enters  so  largely  into  the  writings  of  all  men 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

of  genius,  if  it  is  not  that  they  are  inspired  ?  Why  does  it  predominate 
in  the  works  of  Dante,  Shakspeare,  Milton,  and  all  true  poets,  if  it  be 
not  for  the  obvious  reason,  that  in  the  hours  of  their  greatest  elevatioft 
they  are  essentially  removed  from  the  sphere  of  grosser  life,  and  sub- 
limated in  thought  and  feeling  by  association  with  the  hidden  principles 
of  nature  and  the  intelligences  of  the  immortal  world  ?  ' 

These  views  entirely  accord  with  the  actual  experience  and  personal 
claims  of  the  most  exalted  minds.  Scarcely  a  great  poet,  painter,  sculp- 
tor, or  musician  has  ever  lived  who  was  not  conscious  of  drawing  his  in- 
spiration from  the  Spiritual  World,  while  many  have  professed  to  be 
directly  assisted  by  Spirits.  Shakspeare  makes  the  shades  of  departed 
men  to  appear  in  Hamlet  and  Macbeth,  and  he  affirms  that — 

"  Stones  have  been  known  to  move,  and  trees  to  speak." 

Many  of  the  characters  and  much  of  the  imagery  of  Milton's  great 
poem  were  derived  from  spheres  which  mortal  eye  hath  not  seen ;  and  he 
thus  expresses  his  faith  in  the  perpetual  intercourse  between  the  Spirit- 
ual and  Physical  Worlds : 

"  God  will  deign 

To  visit  oft  the  dwellings  of  just  men, 
Delighted ;  and  with  frequent  inUrcMurse 
Thither  will  send  his  winged  messengers 
On  errands  of  supernal  grace." 

The  spiritual  idea,  and  the  overshadowing  presence  and  influence  of 
celestial  visitants  gave  Coleridge  his  inspiration,  and,  in  the  light  of  his 
faith  and  philosophy, 

"The  massive  gates  of  Paradise  are  thrown 
Wide  open,  and  forth  come  in  fragments  wild 
Sweet  echoes  of  unearthly  melody, 
And  odors  snatch'd  from  beds  of  amaranth." 

Coleridge  attributed  his  fragment,  "  Christabel,"  to  a  vision.  He 
awoke  with  the  recital  of  the  poem  ringing  in  his  ear,  and  immediately 
wrote  out  what  his  memory  retained.  The  close  of  the  poem  is  abrupt, 
showing  that  but  a  part  of  the  vision  was  recollected ;  nor  was  Coleridge 
ever  able  to  extend  and  complete  it,  in  the  spirit  with  which  it  was  begun 
and  carried,  thus  far.  The  poem  is  remarkable  enough  to  have  had  a 
spiritual  origin— and  Coleridge  firmly  believed  in  intercourse  with  Spir- 


INTRODUCTION.  V 

its,  as  -was  some  time  since  shown  in  an  elaborate  article  published  in 
the  "  Shekinah."* 

Wordsworth  evidently  believed  that  the  spirit  of  prophecy  was  given 
to  men  in  all  ages,  and  that  the  spiritual  senses  may  be  quickened  by 
superterrestrial  influence.  In  the  preface  to  the  "  Excursion"  he  thus 
invokes  the  Divine  power : 

"  Descend,  prophetic  Spirit !  that  inspires! 
The  human  soul  of  universal  earth, 
Dreaming  on  things  to  come ;  and  dost  possess 
A  metropolitan  temple  in  the  hearts 
Of  mighty  poets ;  upon  me  bestow 
A  gift  of  genuine  insight." 

Michael  Angelo  employed  his  genius  on  religious  and  spiritual  sub- 
jects, and  the  grandeur  of  his  gigantic  conceptions  was  sublimely  im- 
aged in  the  "  Last  Judgment,"  and  other  designs  which  ornamented  the 
walls  of  the  Sistine  Chapel.  Raphael,  who  adorned  the  Famesian 
palace  with  the  "Banquet  of  the  Gods,"  and  other  similar  works, 
painted  visions  which  were  presented  to  him  by  the  spirit  of  his  mother, 
who  is  said  to  have  hovered  over  him  and  assisted  in  the  execution  of  his 
work.  This  inspiration  from  the  Spiritual  World  has  not  unfrequently 
conferred  on  youth  a  power  which  the  experience  of  a  long  life  could 
scarcely  surpass.  Bernini,  of  Naples,  who  has  been  called  a  second 
Michael  Angelo,  on  account  of  his  eminent  success  in  painting,  statuary, 
and  architecture,  executed  one  of  his  great  works,  Jlpollo  and  the 
Nymph,  before  he  was  eighteen  years  old.  The  artist  lived  more  than 
eighty  years ;  but  when,  near  the  close  of  his  life,  he  had  occasion  to 
examine  this  early  effort  of  his  genius,  he  declared  that  he  had  made 
but  little  improvement  in  the  subsequent  sixty  years  of  his  artistic 
experience. 

The  following  account  which  Mozart  gives  of  his  inspired  moments, 
seems  to  warrant  the  inference  that  his  grand  musical  compositions 
emanated  from  the  Spirit- world : 

"When  all  goes  well  wi'.h  me — when  I  am  in  a  carriage,  or  walking,  or  when  I  can 
not  sleep  at  night,  the  thoughts  ccme  streaming  in  upon  me  most  fluently ;  whence, 
or  how,  is  more  than  I  can  tell.  Then  follow  the  counterpoint  and  the  clang  of  ihe 
different  instruments;  and,  if  I  am  not  disturbed,  my  soul  is  fixed,  and  the  thing 
grows  greater,  and  broader,  and  clearer;  and  I  have  it  all  in  my  head,  even  when  the 

*  "  Belied  Kejected  on  Realization,"  by  C.  D.  Btuart,  Stekinah,  vol.  iii.  p.  69. 


INTRODUCTION. 


piece  is  a  long  one;  and  I  see  it  like  a  beautiful  picture— not  hearing  the  different 
parts  in  succession  as  they  must  he  played,  but  the  whole  at  once.  That  is  the  delight! 
The  composing  and  making  is  like  a  beautiful  and  vivid  dream  ;  but  this  hearing  of  it 
is  the  best  of  all." 

It  is  also  worthy  of  remark,  that  by  some  occult  agency  this  great 
composer  was  informed  of  his  approaching  dissolution.  It  is  alleged  that 
a  mysterious  stranger  once  visited  Mozart  and  requested  him  to  compose 
a  grand  Requiem.  The  latter  signified  his  willingness  to  comply  with 
the  request ;  terms  were  proposed  and  accepted,  and  the  stranger  disap- 
peared. Mozart  very  soon  became  deeply  interested  and  absorbed.  He 
felt  that  he  was  composing  the  work  for  himself.  At  length  the  Re- 
quiem— which  had  occupied  more  time  than  was  at  first  anticipated — 
was  finished ;  the  stranger  reappeared,  but  Mozart  was  not  there.  By  a 
celestial  gravitation  the  spirit  had  been  attracted  to  the  invisible  source 
of  its  inspiration ! 

Carlos  D.  Stuart,  who  is  widely  known  as  an  eloquent  and  forcible 
writer  in  prose  and  verse,  assures  me  that  all  his  poems  to  which  he  at- 
taches any  permanent  value,  have  been  composed  under  the  influence  of 
a  kind  of  spell,  which  comes  over  him  at  irregular  intervals,  and  sub- 
sides when  the  work  is  finished.  Concerning  the  origin  of  this  influence 
he  has  no  certain  knowledge,  but  all  the  mental  effort,  of  which  he  has 
a  personal  consciousness,  is  made  at  the  commencement  of  the  process. 
As  soon  as  the  poem  is  fairly  started — to  use  his  own  significant  lan- 
guage— "  the  whole  flows  out,  seemingly  without  effort,  and  winds  itself 
up."  I  can  not  forbear  citing  in  this  connection  the  testimony  of  an 
esteemed  correspondent,  S.  M.  Peters,  who  writes  beautiful  verses  while 
subject  to  the  influence  of  Spirits.  Respecting  the  mode  and  the  origin 
of  his  poems  he  says : 

"  They  are  written  by  my  hand,  but  with  little  or  no  mental  effort  on  my  part  Tho 
whole  of  a  poem  is  before  my  mind  at  once,  and  if  any  person  speaks  to  me  while  I 
am  writing,  it  vanishes,  and  is  present  again  on  a  subsequent  occasion.  That  this  is  a 
spiritual  gift,  I  have  no  doubt ;  for  I  have  no  control  over  it.  The  name  of  the  Spirit- 
author  is  sometimes  given,  and  at  other  times  it  is  withheld. 

But  the  specific  object  of  this  essay  is  to  introduce  to  the  reader's  at- 
tention the  grand  rythmical  composition  which  occupies,  for  the  most 
part,  the  succeeding  pages  of  this  work.  The  "  EPIC  OF  THE  STARRY 
HEAVEN,"  which  claims  to  have  been  originated  in  the  world  of  Spirits, 
extends  to  Four  Thousand  Lines,  and  is  characterized  by  vigorous 
thought,  glowing  imagery,  and  felicity  of  expression.  But  of  its  intrin- 


INTRODUCTION.  Vli 

pic  merits,  as  a  specimen  of  literary  art,  I  do  not  propose  to  speak.  To 
the  intelligent  reader  they  will  appear  too  obvious  to  require  elucida- 
tion. It  presents  other  claims,  however,  growing  out  of  its  alleged 
source,  and  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  its  production,  which  invest 
it  with  unusual  interest  and  importance  as  a  psychical  phenomenon. 
These,  especially,  I  design  to  consider  in  the  remaining  part  of  this 
Introduction. 

The  Poem  bearing  the  above  title  was  spoken  by  THOMAS  L.  HARRIS 
in  the  course  of  fourteen  consecutive  days,  the  speaker  being  in  a  trance 
state  during  its  delivery.  From  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty  lines  were  dictated  at  each  session,  of  which  there  were 
twenty-two  in  number,  and  the  precise  time  occupied  in  communicating 
the  whole  was  TWENTY-SIX  HOURS  AND  SIXTEEN  MINUTES.  On  several 
occasions,  while  the  Epic  was  being  delivered,  Mr.  Harris  was  unexpect- 
edly entranced,  under  rather  unfavorable  circumstances,  and  in  two  in- 
stances, as  will  appear  from  the  Appendix,  he  was  absent  from  his  lodg- 
ings when  the  trance  occurred.  The  general  appearance  and  manner  of 
the  improvisatore  while  subject  to  the  influence  of  Spirits,  was  much  like 
that  of  a  person  in  an  ordinary  magnetic  sleep.  There  was  a  slight  in- 
voluntary action  of  the  nerves  of  motion,  chiefly  manifested  at  the  begin- 
ning and  close  of  each  sitting,  or  during  brief  intervals  of  silence,  when 
some  new  scene  appeared  to  the  vision  of  the  medium.  The  eyes  were 
closed,  but  the  expression  of  the  face,  which  was  highly  animated  and 
significant,  varied  with  every  change  in  the  rhythm,  and  was  visibly  in- 
fluenced by  the  slightest  modification  of  the  theme.  The  voice  of  the 
speaker  was  deep-toned  and  musical,  and  his  enunciation  distinct  and 
energetic.  Occasionally  he  exhibited  considerable  vehemence,  but  when 
the  nature  of  the  subject  required  gentleness,  his  voice  was  modulated 
with  great  delicacy,  and  at  times  his  whole  manner  and  utterance  were 
characterized  by  remarkable  solemnity  and  irresistible  pathos.  The 
writer  has  been  personally  acquainted  with  Mr.  Harris  for  some  twelve 
years,  but  has  never  witnessed  on  his  part  the  slightest  attempt  to  sing 
previous  to  the  delivery  of  his  Epic,  portions  of  which  were  chanted  in  a 
low,  musical  voice,  and  with  remarkable  effect.  Moreover,  our  friend 
several  times  remarked,  during  the  progress  of  the  work,  that  the  invis- 
ible powers  seemed  to  be  singing  it  within  him,  and  that  all  his  nerves 
vibrated  to  the  music. 

If  the  reader  will  refer  to  the  Appendix,  he  will  perceive  that  the  par- 
ticular Spirits  whose  presence  was  disclosed  to  Mr.  Harris,  did  not, 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

strictly  speaking,  communicate  the  Poem  to  or  through  him.  This  is  not 
pretended.  It  is  merely  claimed  that  they  used  their  influence — doubt- 
less in  harmony  with  existing  psychological  laws — to  entrance  the  me- 
dium, and  that  when  the  state  of  interior  perception  and  consciousness 
was  induced,  his  spirit — by  virtue  of  this  inward  quickening  or  opening 
of  the  interiors — was  brought  into  intimate  relations  with  the  essential 
principles,  invisible  forms,  and  immortal  inhabitants  of  the  Spirit-world. 
While  in  this  condition  it  may  be  presumed  that  he  was  as  well  qualified 
to  obtain  correct  information  respecting  the  sphere  to  which  he  was  thus 
admitted,  as  men  in  the  external  state  are  to  receive  reliable  impres- 
sions from  the  outward  world.  Thus  the  primordial  elements  or  arche- 
typal images  of  the  thoughts  embodied  in  this  grand  Epic  were  commu- 
nicated to  the  receptive  spirit,  and  the  process  of  their  reception  was 
undoubtedly  as  strictly  NORMAL*  as  that  by  which  the  forms  and  qual- 
ities of  outward  things  are  perceived  through  the  ordinary  avenues  of 
sensation. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  present  writer,  these  claims  accord  as  well  with 
the  facts  in  the  case  as  with  the  principles  of  a  rational  philosophy.  It 
is  well  known  that  the  ordinary  somnambule,  and,  indeed,  every  person 
endowed  with  a  faculty  of  prevision  or  a  power  of  clairvoyance,  is  quali- 
fied to  perceive  and  comprehend  many  things  which  wholly  transcend 
the  mind's  capacity,  while  it  is  restricted  to  the  sphere  of  its  mundane 
relations.  The  most  startling  illustrations  of  this  truth  are  of  daily 
occurrence.  I  once  knew  an  unlettered  youth ;  he  was  totally  ignorant  of 
all  the  sciences,  and  yet  in  ten  minutes,  even  by  the  aid  of  a  human  mag- 
netizer,  he  became  a  sage— was  familiar  with  different  languages,  and  at 
home  in  every  department  of  scientific  philosophy.  Fools  jeered  at  him, 
but  wise  men  wondered  at  his  wisdom.  Not  only  did  he  exhibit  a  famil- 
iarity with  the  profoundest  principles  of  Nature  and  the  various  acquisi- 
tions of  the  human  mind,  but  there  was  no  limit  to  his  vision.  The  most 
solid  substances  were  transparent  as  ether ;  immeasurable  distances  op- 
posed no  barrier  to  his  observations ;  the  forgotten  Past  was  unveiled 
before  him,  and  he  had  power  to  unlock  the  mysterious  Future,  and  to 
read  from  the  page  of  destiny ! 

It  must  be  apparent  to  the  philosophic  mind  that  this  familiar  process 
of  introreception  whereby  the  sublime  realities  of  the  Spiritual  World  are 


*  We  use  this  word  to  represent  whatever  occurs  agreeably  to  existing  Physical  and 
Spiritual  Laws. 


INTRODUCTION.  IX 

being  disclosed  to  many  exalted  minds,  does  not  differ  very  widely  from 
the  personal  experience  and  distinctive  claims  of  Mr.  Harris.  In  the 
lives  of  the  illustrious  prophets,  illuminated  seers,  and  inspired  poets,  of 
all  ages  and  countries,  there  is  much  to  support  the  credibility  of  his 
pretensions,  as  set  forth  in  this  volume.  At  the  same  time  I  believe 
there  is  no  recorded  instance  of  the  composition  of  a  work  of  equal  mag- 
nitude and  merit  in  so  short  a  time.  In  this  respect  the  present  illustra- 
tion of  the  power  of  improvisation  is  more  remarkable  than  any  thing 
which  I  have  been  able  to  find  in  literary  annals.  D'Israeli,  in  his 
"  Curiosities  of  Literature,"  cites  numerous  instances  of  the  rapid  com- 
position of  brief  pieces  by  different  poets ;  but  none  of  the  utterance  of  a 
complete  work  of  any  moment.  Fenelon  wrote  his  "  Telemaque"  (prose 
history  of  the  wandering  of  the  son  of  Ulysses  in  search  of  his  lost 
father)  in  three  months,  one  of  the  most  rapid  performances  on  record. 
D'Israeli  also  alludes  to  a  class  of  visions  or  revelations,  current  in  the 
middle  ages,  claimed  to  have  been  uttered  by  superior  powers,  through 
studious  monks  and  recluses,  and  adds  that  Dante's  "  Inferno,"  called 
"  Divine"  has  been  suspected  of  indebtedness  to  a  poem  known  as  "  The 
Vision  of  Alberico."  Probably  of  prose  writers'and  poets,  in  the  ordi- 
nary state,  no  one  can  be  cited  equal  to  Alexander  Dumas  for  rapidity — 
yet  Mr.  Harris'  composition,  setting  aside  its  quality,  excels  the 
greatest  rapidity  of  Dumas.  The  "  Culprit  Fay,"  by  J.  Rodman  Drake, 
a  deceased  American  poet,  a  production  of  singular  beauty,  but  more 
remarkable  because,  though  lengthy,  no  human  character  enters  into  it, 
was  a  very  rapid  composition ;  but  it  is  less  than  one  half  the  length 
of  Mr.  Harris'  Epic ;  besides,  it  is  far  less  remarkable  in  regard  to  the 
rapidity  of  its  creation,  and  immensely  inferior  in  character  and  pur- 
pose. 

As  to  Italian  and  other  improvisator es,  it  is  on  no  good  authority 
claimed  that  they  have  ever  risen  above  brief  rhapsodies,  generally  con- 
fined to  local  and  momentary  topics — to  chivalry  and  love.  The  Trouba- 
dours were  song  singers  of  this  sort.  The  Italian  improvisatores  are 
regarded  as  the  very  best,  and  to  none  of  these  can  we  find  credited  any 
effort  worth  remembering  for  a  day.  Improvising  of  this  kind  has  gener- 
ally been  a  play  upon  the  names  and  peculiarities  of  persons,  or  on  the  in- 
cidental circumstances  of  the  occasion.  We  have  heard  maudlin  specimens 
at  political  and  other  assemblages  in  this  city  and  elsewhere,  but  they 
have  been,  without  a  single  remembered  exception,  as  ephemeral  as  the 
incidents  which  prompted  their  utterance.  Altogether,  the  present 
1* 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

•work,  admitting  its  claims  with  respect  to  the  time  and  mode  of  its  com- 
position, has  no  parallel  in  either  ancient  or  modern  literature. 

What  is  here  and  elsewhere  stated  respecting  the  time  employed  in 
delivering  the  Poem,  can  be  established  by  the  testimony  of  witnesses 
whose  credibility  can  not  be  impeached,  and  whose  veracity  was  never 
questioned.  The  claims  of  the  Poem,  in  this  respect,  can  only  be  assailed 
by  assuming  that  Mr.  Harris  had  previously  and  at  his  leisure,  com- 
posed his  Epic,  and  committed  it  to  memory,  and  then  went  through 
with  the  farce  of  rehearsing  it  before  the  witnesses.  This  would  be  vir- 
tually charging  him  with  a  contemptible  artifice,  which  no  one  will  be 
disposed  to  credit  who  has  the  slightest  knowledge  of  his  character. 
Only  those  who  deem  it  wise  to  boldly  deny  what  unprejudiced  minds 
frankly  acknowledge,  will  entertain  the  assumption  for  an  hour.  Never- 
theless, to  remove  the  doubts  of  those  who  have  had  no  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  Mr.  Harris,  as  well  as  to  silence  the  cavils  of  a  material  skep- 
ticism, several  incidental  facts  and  circumstances  may  still  be  adduced 
to  show  that  the  hypothesis  in  question  is  altogether  impi'obable. 

For  some  days  immediately  preceding  the  date  of  the  first  interview,  the 
time  and  attention  of  Mr.  Harris  was  almost  unreservedly  taken  up  with 
a  new  invention  in  the  department  of  mechanical  art,  which  Avas  emi- 
nently calculated  to  divert  his  mind  from  its  accustomed  channels.  The 
subject  which  occupied  his  thoughts  at  this  time,  being  of  a  purely  ex- 
ternal and  practical  nature,  Avas  of  course  511  adapted  to  promote  the 
execution  of  such  an  ideal  and  spiritual  work  as  the  present  volume 
contains.  Moreover,  at  the  very  time  when  the  Poem  AVUS  unexpectedly 
commenced,  Mr.  Harris  was  preparing  to  leave  New  York  for  the  South, 
and  the  few  days  that  were  expected  to  intervene  prior  to  his  departure 
were,  as  he  and  his  friends  conjectured,  to  be  exclusively  occupied  in  ar- 
ranging preliminaries  for  his  journey.  From  Nov.  24th  to  Dec.  8th— 
embracing  the  entire  period  employed  in  the  composition  of  the  Poem — 
his  mind  and  time  were  so  far  engrossed  with  the  business  already  refer- 
red to,  as  to  leave  but  little  opportunity  for  other  pursuits.  It  Avas  under 
these  apparently  inauspicious  circumstances  that  he  was  entranced  from 
day  to  day — usually  from  one  to  tAvo  hours  at  a  time — and  the  work  was 
continued  to  its  consummation.  Sometimes  the  mystic  spell  came  sud- 
denly when  he  Avas  absent  from  home ;  or,  it  might  be,  while  he  was 
eating,  or  conversing  with  his  friends  on  foreign  topics.  Those  who  Avit- 
nessed  the  recurrence  of  the  state  were  by  no  means  inclined  to  think 
that  the  phenomenon  of  the  trance  was  merely  subjective,  or  that  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

times  and  seasons  were  left  to  the  volition  of  the  medium,  inasmuch  as 
they  did  not  in  all  cases  appear  to  be  opportunely  chosen. 

Another  fact  should  be  stated  in  this  connection.  During  the  progress 
of  the  work  H.  was  on  several  occasions  magnetized  by  Spirits,  and  gave 
a  number  of  shorter  poems,  some  of  which  were  extremely  beautiful  in 
thought  and  versification ;  and  these,  like  his  Epic,  appeared  to  require 
no  mental  labor,  nor  were  they  attended  by  the  cerebral  excitement 
which  always  accompanies  and  succeeds  a  voluntary  effort  of  his  own. 
It  is  well  known  to  the  intimate  friends  of  Mr.  Harris  that  he  ordinarily 
finds  it  extremely  difficult,  if  not  quite  impossible,  to  sleep  for  some 
hours  after  any  considerable  intellectual  effort ;  but,  night  after  night, 
after  delivering  some  two  hundred  lines  or  more  of  the  present  work,  he 
would,  on  retiring,  immediately  relapse  into  a  profound  and  peaceful 
slumber,  which  usually  continued  unbroken  until  a  late  hour  in  the 
morning.* 

But  it  may  be  objected — in  view  of  what  is  said  in  the  Appendix 
respecting  Mr.  Harris'  vision  in  March,  1850 — that  the  Poem  was  first 
announced  nearly  four  years  since,  and  that  this  admission  is  not  com- 
patible with  the  claim  that  it  was  produced  in  a  few  hours.  The  writer 
is  of  a  different  opinion ;  and  without  presuming  to  determine  precisely 
how  long  the  invisible  agents  were  employed  in  their  part  of  the  work, 
it  may  be  confidently  asserted  that  the  agency  of  Mr.  Harris  in  its  pro- 
duction was  limited  to  the  brief  period  already  specified.  This  conclu- 
sion is  abundantly  supported  by  the  facts  in  the  case ;  nor  is  there  any 
thing  in  the  accounts  of  Mr.  Harris'  vision  which  warrants  a  contrary 
opinion.  An  angel  appeared  to  him  having  a  sealed  book ;  and  the  Spirit 
presented  before  him  "  an  illuminated  landscape,"  etc.,  together  with  a 
number  of  "  minute  hieroglyphical  figures,"  the  first  of  which  was  un- 
derstood to  represent  the  present  Poem.  Beyond  this  H.  received  no  in- 
timation respecting  its  significance,  as  no  portion  of  the  same — not  so 
much  as  the  title — was  communicated  on  that  occasion. 

But  there  is  still  another  circumstance  remaining  to  be  mentioned, 
which  strongly  favors  the  idea  that  H.  had  formed  no  plan  of  his  own, 
and,  indeed,  that  he  had  no  definite  conception  of  this  work  up  to  the 
time  when  he  commenced  its  delivery.  The  PROEM,  which  contains 
some  ninety  lines  (it  is  not  comprehended  in  any  thing  that  we  have 

*  The  writer  can  speak  confidently  on  this  point,  as  he  occupied  the  same  sleeping 
apartment  with  Mr.  Harris,  not  only  before  and  afier,  hut  during  the  delivery  of  the 


Xil  INTRODUCTION. 

before  said  of  this  work),  was  given  in  a  similar  trance,  several  weeks 
or  months  before,  while  the  medium  was  in  Virginia.  Having  no  idea 
of  its  specific  adaptation  to  any  thing  that  was  to  succeed,  it  was  given 
to  us  for  a  collection  of  miscellaneous  poems,  which  will  be  issued  here- 
after. We  first  published  it  in  the  TELEGRAPH,  and  then,  at  the  request 
of  Mr.  Harris  himself,  it  was  stereotyped  for  the  volume  of  miscellanies 
here  referred  to.  It  was  not  until  a  large  portion  of  the  Epic  was  deliv- 
ered, that  our  friend  ascertained  or  even  suspected  that  the  Proem  was 
intended  to  be  used  as  the  rhythmical  introduction  to  this  work.  With 
these  facts  before  us,  it  is  supremely  preposterous  to  conclude  that  the 
substance  and  structure  of  this  Poem  previously  existed  in  any  clearly 
defined  form  in  the  mind  of  Mr.  Harris.  He  can  not  be  so  utterly 
regardless  of  his  own  reputation  and  interest,  to  say  nothing  of  honor 
and  conscience,  as  to  willingly  resort  to  the  most  palpable  hypocrisy  and 
falsehood,  merely  to  deceive  his  best  friends  and  to  ROB  HIMSELF  OF 
THE  CREDIT  OF  ITS  AUTHORSHIP.  Such  a  conclusion  is  improbable  to 
the  last  degree,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  any  sane  man  will  cherish  it  for 
a  moment. 

Some  days  after  the  Epic  was  completed,  an  incident  occurred  one 
evening — in  presence  of  a  number  of  persons  assembled  at  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Partridge — which  will  interest  the  reader,  at  the  same  time  it 
will  afford  additional  confirmation  of  the  spiritual  claims  of  the  Poem. 
Among  the  persons  present  was  Mrs.  J.  R.  Mettler,  who  is  distinguished 
for  her  clairvoyant  and  psychometrical  powers.  Psychometry  being  the 
theme,  Mr.  Harris,  in  the  course  of  the  conversation,  went  to  his  room 
and  procured  a  slip  of  paper,  on  which  he  had  previously — during  the 
delivery  of  the  Epic — been  impelled  to  write  the  name,  DANTE.  [The 
chirography,  which  was  wholly  unlike  that  of  the  medium,  was  executed, 
as  Mr.  Harris  firmly  believes,  by  Dante  himself.  A  spirit,  dressed  in 
antique  costume,  appeared  standing  before  him.  He  felt  a  strong  desire 
to  know  something  of  this  immortal  visitor,  when  his  hand  was  suddenly 
controlled,  and  the  name  was  written.]  Folding  the  paper  into  a  small 
compass,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  entirely  conceal  the  name,  Mr. 
Harris,  without  giving  any  explanation,  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  Mrs. 
Mettler  for  her  impressions.  In  a  few  moments  the  psychometrist  was 
profoundly  entranced.*  At  first  she  exhibited  emotions  of  sadness  and 

*  In  givin?  psychometrical  delineations  of  the  characters  of  persons  living  in  the 
body,  Mrs.  Meltler  is  seldom  or  never  entranced,  but  it  is  alleged  that  the  written  eom- 
niunications  of  spirits  invariably  induce  this  state. 


INTRODUCTION.  Xlll 

grief.  Then  rising  and  walking  toward  a  remote  corner  of  the  apart- 
ment, her  eyes  being  closed,  she  appeared  to  hold  converse  with  invisible 
beings.  She  paused,  and  seemed  looking  at  objects  beneath.  Her  whole 
frame  shook  spasmodically,  and  the  muscles  of  the  face  were  distorted 
and  convulsed,  as  if  the  images  of  the  "  Inferno"  were  passing  visibly 
before  her.  At  length  she  spoke  with  uncommon  emphasis,  and  we  caught 
the  following  words : 

"No!  no!    I  am  not  mad!  I  am  not  mad  !    Keep  me  in  bondage,  if  ye  will.    Are 

ye  fiends?  ye  hellish  bigots  of  earth,  curses!  [a  pause]  nay,  blessings  be  upon  yom 
heads.  [Here  Mrs.  M.  raised  her  head,  and  appeared  to  be  looking  into  the  heavens; 
the  muscles  of  her  countenance  gradually  relaxed,  a  sweet  smile  irradiated  her  fea- 
tures, and  she  continued.]  Bright  angela  hover  in  the  upper  air;  they  smile  on  me, 
and  their  presence  gives  me  peace." 

Mrs.  M.  continued  at  some  length  in  a  strain  that  led  those  of  the 
company  who  were  acquainted  with  Dante's  history  to  think  that  she 
was  en  rapport  with  his  spirit,  and  that  visions  of  his  earth-life,  and  of 
the  Divina  Commedia  were  passing  before  her.* 

An  objection  may  arise  founded  on  the  well-known  capacity  of  Mr. 
Harris.  It  is  readily  conceded  that  he  is  a  poet  of  very  brilliant  powers; 
but  this  does  not  invalidate  the  peculiar  claims  of  the  present  work. 
What  if  other  poets  have  written  books  of  equal  merit  and  greater  mag- 
nitude, they  required  months  or  years,  instead  of  a  few  hours,  to  com- 
pose them.  Further,  we  do  not  know  that  our  poetical  friend,  up  to 

*  That  all  our  readers  may  perceive  the  relevancy  of  Mrs.  Mettler's  words,  while  in 
psychometrical  contact  with  the  Italian  poet,  a  very  brief  sketch  of  his  life  seems  to  be 
required  in  this  connection : 

Dante  was  born  at  Florence,  In  May,  1365.  Hla  family  was  illustrious,  and  after  attracting  the  at- 
tention of  his  countrymen  by  his  own  military  achievements,  he  became  still  more  distinguished  by 
the  honors  bestowed  on  him  at  court.  At  length,  by  the  suffrages  of  the  people,  he  became  one  of  the 

one  of  the  rival  parties,  which  led  to  his  banishment  and  the  confiscation  of  his  estate.  Some  five  years 
before  Ms  death,  it  was  proposed  by  the  government  to  restore  him  to  his  country  and  his  possessions 
on  certain  dishonorable  conditions.  He  was  required  to  pay  a  fine,  bow  before  the  authorities  of  the 
ohurch,  and  at  its  altar  confess  his  guilt  and  supplicate  the  pardon  of  the  Republic.  But  the  noble 
•pint  of  Dante  spumed  the  base  proposal.  He  preferred  a  life  of  physical  bondage  and  the  grave  of  an 
outcast  to  the  freedom  of  his  country,  the  honors  of  a  court,  and  the  possession  of  his  estate,  if  these 
were  only  to  be  purchased  at  the  expense  of  truth,  justice,  and  manhood. 

No  way  was  ever  opened  for  Dante's  return  which  was  at  all  compatible  with  his  own  high  sense  of 
honor  ;  and  after  remaining  in  exile  nearly  fifteen  years,  the  great  poet  died  at  Ravenna,  in  1321. 
When  the  Florentines  discovered  the  magnitude  of  the  sacrifice  they  had  made.  It  was  too  late  to  re- 
trieve their  en-or.  'Jlie  man  whom  they  had  so  ignobly  driven  from  his  home  aud  country,  tmuu  be 
came  the  object  of  their  highest  veneration,  and  they  vainly  entreated  that  they  might  be  allowed  to 
pouess  all— save  his  immortal  thoughts  and  deathess  memory— that  remained  of  Dauto— lib)  ashi*  ! 


XIV  INTRODUCTION. 

last  November,  had  ever  published  or  composed  a  single  poem  that 
exceeded  two  hundred  lines ;  and  there  is  certainly  no  evidence  what- 
ever, derived  from  existing  facts,  to  prove  that  he  is  capable  of  such  un- 
exampled rapidity  in  composition. 

Again,  if  it  be  contended  that  the  style  of  certain  portions  of  the  Epic 
resemble  some  of  the  earlier  productions  of  T.  L.  Harris,  in  the  composi- 
tion of  which  no  spiritual  agency  was  claimed  or  supposed  to  exist,  my 
reply  is,  it  is  altogether  rational  to  conclude,  whatever  may  have  been 
the  source  of  the  inspiration,  that  it  would  naturally  and  necessarily 
accommodate  itself  to  the  channel  through  which  it  was  permitted  to 
flow,  and  that  the  same  is  true  in  its  application  to  all  inspired  teach- 
ings, of  whatever  nature  or  kind,  not  excepting  those  which  possess — at 
least  in  the  faith  of  the  Christian  world — a  sacred  preeminence  and  a 
divine  import.* 

The  great  realm  of  the  SPIRITUAL  opens  around  and  within  us  in  pro- 
portion as  our  natures  are  refined  and  exalted.  The  thoughts  which 
startle  the  world  with  their  vastness,  power,  and  beauty  are  not  born  of 
corporeal  elements.  On  this  point  we  must  respect  the  actual  experi- 
ence of  inspired  minds  rather  than  the  skepticism  of  those  who  are  inca- 
pable of  any  similar  experience.  The  latter  class  should  be  reminded  that 
it  is  as  truly  the  privilege  of  the  eagle  to  soar,  as  it  is  the  province  of 
meaner  things  to  crawli  The  dusty  speculations  of  material  philos- 
ophers, on  a  question  of  this  nature,  are  entitled  to  no  credence,  since 
they  are  obviously  as  destitute  of  truth  as  they  are  devoid  of  all  incen- 
tives to  heavenly  aspiration  and  a  divine  life.  If  such  men  have  no  in- 
tercourse with  superior  intelligences,  the  fact  shows  clearly  enough  that 
they  themselves  are  earthly  and  sensual ;  but  it  does  nothing  to  prove 
that  others  are  like  them,  much  less  that  the  common  faith  of  the  world 
is  to  be  regarded  as  an  illusion. 

Here  we  submit  the  claims  of  this  book  to  the  judgment  of  the  public. 
No  phenomenon  of  a  similar  character  ever  awakened  a  deeper  interest  in 
our  own  mind,  and  we  feel  assured  that  the  Poem  will  be  read  with  sat- 
isfaction and  delight,  not  only  by  Spiritualists,  but  by  thousands  who  may 
hesitate  to  credit  its  peculiar  claims,  and  be  disposed  to  accept  it  merely 
as  a  brilliant  effort  of  human  genius,  excited  and  exalted  by  the  intense 
action  of  its  own  immortal  powers. 

S.  B.  BR  ITT  AIT. 
NEW  YORK,  January  25M.,  1S54. 

*  See  an  article  entitled,  "  Cerebral  Influence  oiHjRevelation ;"  SteMna!/.,  vol.  ii.  p.  89. 


PREFACE. 


FROM   THE    LYRICJ 


SEVEN  great  diversities  of  human  genius  enter  into  the  composition  of 
the  votary  of  High  Art :  the  Sacerdotal,  the  Mathematical,  the  Synthetic, 
the  Analytical,  the  Poetical,  the  Inductive,  and  the  Intuitive.  The  pro- 
duction of  artistic  chef-d'ceuvres  depends  upon  the  happy  combination 
and  seven-fold  harmony  of  these  distinctive  elements. 

There  is,  at  the  present  time,  a  grand  refining  process  operative  from 
the  Heaven  of  Spirits,  and  quickening  as  well  as  purifying  the  natural 
ultimates  of  human  organizations.  Organisms,  by  means  of  the  operation 
of  this  refining  process,  are  being  prepared  to  serve  as  artistic  instruments 
through  whom  the  sacerdotal,  the  mathematical,  the  poetic,  the  synthetic, 
the  analytical,  the  inductive,  and  the  intuitive  revelations,  combinations, 
and  productions  of  Divine  Harmony  shall  be  communicated  from  the  World 
of  Causes,  which  is  Spiritual,  and  gloriously  made  manifest  among  men  in 
the  World  of  Effects,  which  is  the  Natural  or  External  Earth. 

The  medium  through  whom  the  work  of  which  this  is  the  preface,  is 
given,  though  still  in  an  exceedingly  feeble  condition,  is  inborn  into  the 
Spirit-World,  by  means  of  which  birth  he  is  enabled  to  occupy  a  mediato- 
rial position  between  the  world  of  causes  and  the  world  of  ultimates.  And 
because  his  interiors  are  of  a  sacerdotal  character,  he  is  permitted  to  be 
impressed  from  Societies  of  Hierophants  who  discharge  the  priestly  func- 
tion in  the  Heaven  of  Spirits.  And  because  in  his  interiors  he  takes  de- 
light in  celestial  mathematics,  he  is  permitted  to  receive  impressions  from 
Societies  of  Spirit  Men  who  meditate  deeply  upon  the  science  of  forms, 
number,  degrees,  and  their  correlatives,  though  externally  his  knowl- 


XVI.  PREFACE. 

edge  of  mathematics  is  limited.  And  because  of  poetic  genius  of  an  in- 
terior character,  which  he  1ms  externally  cultivated  to  some  degree,  re- 
lations are  established  between  his  mind  and  the  children  of  immortal 
song,  who  are  known  as  Lyric  Angels. 

The  work  which  this  statement  is  designed  to  preface  originated  in  th« 
interior.  It  is  given  through  the  agency  of  a  circle  of  Mediaeval  Spirits 
who  inhabit  a  classic  domain  in  nn  ultimate  dependency  of  the  Heaven 
of  Spirits,  which  corresjMmds  in  many  of  its  features  to  lower  Italy. 

It  is  their  delight,  in  that  serene  realm,  to  weave  Epic  Poems,  which, 
while  they  are  divinely  true  in  the  internals  of  thought,  are  externally 
beautified  with  the  embellishments  of  melody,  and  thus  resemble  the 
virgin  daughters  of  the  sky,  whose  spiritual  forms  are  garmented  with 
Iho  robe*  of  light,  whoso  abundant  tresses  exhale  the  very  fragrance  of 
Kly*ium,  and  whose  brows  arc  crowned  with  undying  flowers. 

II  waa  permitted  to  a  spirit  greatly  beloved  among  the  inhabitants  of 
that  ethereal  abode*  to  induct  the  medium  into  rapport  with  the  general 
uphere  of  their  society,  which  sphere  is  extended  into  all  the  lovely  re- 
gions visited  by  the  inmost  spirit  of  the  medium,  and  shadowed  in  the 
Poem.  Permission  being  obtained  from  Superior  Authority,  the  various 
forma  of  wisdom  and  beauty  which  the  Poem  describes  were  imaged, 
from  thoir  varied  localities*,  upon  the  sensorimu.  by  the  process  of  tran- 
nition  and  visitation,  and  the  organ  of  language  quickened  an  I  m-i  K»  use 
of  for  the  harmonic  reproduction  of  these  forms  of  truth  and  loveliness 
In  th<»  external  dialect  of  earth.  This  Poem,  however,  is  .1  production 
ndaptc\l  to  the  spiritual  childhood  of  the  medium :  and  when  his  interior 
ftu-vilU««  shall  Imve  l<een  more  highly  vitalised  and  laor*  luminously  ex- 
panded, ho  l«  dosMgnod  »s  an  instrument  fvvr  the  production  of  volte  of 
A  iuun  o  oomnipAndent  tally  exalted. 

IWn  t  ho  jyoutly .  Reader ;  »ttnne  thy  he*rt  to  pore  and  taring  tho«|rhts 
while  perti*iu#  «h>*  >piri««*l  uMer»iKx.  for  thus  alone  the  interior  life, 
nhioh  U  the  l»tin«  mul  (hemVT,  ahall  find  entrance  into  Oun*  *wn  into- 


PROEM. 


PREPARATORY    VISION. 


THE  inspirations  of  my  youth  retui 

Love,  Wisdom,  Beauty,  Joy,  and  Liberty 

The  ashes  of  my  life,  requickened,  burn ; 

Gloom,  sickness,  years  depart.     My  soul  is  free 

The  great  procession  of  the  Wise  Departed, 

In  solemn  vision  glorifies  my  sight. 
Though  all  who  live  were  old  and  broken-hearted, 

Youth,  Love,  and  Hope  would  change  their  hoary  night 
To  freshest  morn,  with  sun-illumined  brow. 
Could  they  behold  and  live,  as  I  do  now. 

Oh,  Earth  !  oh,  Time  !  oh,  Man  and  Woman!  ye 
Shall  from  your  wintry  dying  freshly  rise. 

Death's  hungry  heart,  that  like  the  moaning  sea 
The  freight  of  shipwrecked  life  with  food  supplies, 


18  PROEM. 

Cries  from  its  liollow  depths,  "  No  more,  no  more." 
Death  sits,  calm  browed,  upon  the  snow-white  shore 
In  love  with  Immortality,  whose  breast 
Pillows  its  form  to  its  eternal  rest. 

Now  Death  is  pillowed  on  the  lap  of  Life, 

And  dies  in  happy  dreams.     There  is  no  Deep, 
Hungry  and  dark,  with  agonizing  strife, 

To  swallow  up  Love's  argosy,  and  sweep 
All  the  great  Past  into  its  sunless  caves. 
God  smites  the  tomb,  and  saith,  "  Ye  hollow  graves 
So  still  and  secret,  ope  your  lips  and  tell 
The  Nations  that  My  children  do  not  dwell, 
Nor  fade,  nor  crumble  in  your  drear  abyss, 
But  share  the  vast  dominions  of  My  bliss." 

God's  heavens  to  earth  have  spoken.     In  the  glow 
Of  the  New  Era's  dawning  it  is  sweet 

To  wake  and  see  dull  Night  from  Nature  go. 
The  cycle  of  the  ages  shines  complete. 

Man  came  from  God ;  he  goes  to  Him  again. 

From  Him  came  down — to  Him  aspires  the  flame 

The  friendly  Angels  ope  Love's  Eden  door  ; 

Man  enters  in — departs  not  ever  more. 

The  seers  and  saints  of  all  the  centuries  past 
Have  set  their  seal  unto  the  sacred  page 


19 


That  images  sweet  peace  and  promise  vast — 

Heaven's  beauty,  and  the  new,  delivering  Age. 
Hark,  music  sweet !  from  yon  immortal  train ; 
They  sing — "  We  hoped,  loved,  labored,  not  in  vain." 

The  rocky  Patmos  where  I  dwell  recedes — 
The  outward  fades.     Lo,  in  immortal  trance 

I  spring  to  light.     A  mighty  Angel  reads 

My  heart,  mind,  gladness,  wonder,  at  a  glance 

"  Fulfilled,  O  Son,  thy  trial  hour,"  he  says. 

Upon  my  soul  the  immortal  light-beam  plays. 

Into  the  Heaven  of  Spirits  I  am  led  ; 

On  mountain  summits  they  are  throned  apart. 
The  Empires  of  the  Free  are  widely  spread, 

Temple,  shrine,  palace,  angel-peopled  mart, 
Where  glorious  thoughts  and  mighty  deeds  are  made 

Sky,  landscape,  city,  music,  splendor,  shade  ; 
Where  the  heart's  inner  loves,  in  form  outrolled, 
Shine  amber  skies  and  atmospheres  of  gold. 

All  life  to  love  in  light  and  rapture  tends  ; 
All  thought  on  chariot-wheels  of  glory  runs  ; 
All  sorrows,  like  the  rays  of  setting  suns, 

Are  made  celestial  splendors.     Far  extends 
The  pure  domain.     Love  blends  in  this  bright  sphere 
Hope's  longed  Hereafter,  with  her  Now  and  Here. 
Here  kindred  souls  who  dwelt  on  earth  apart 


20 


Blend  in  the  sweet  embraces  of  the  heart. 
On  the  calm  shore  the  happy  dwellers  throng, 
Greeting  each  distant  bark  with  sweetest  song  ; 
Homeward  they  fly,  by  the  swift  life-winds  driven, 
And  furl  white  sails  upon  the  shores  of  heaven. 

The  gradual  dawn  of  day  upon  the  earth 

Is  wonderful,  when  from  the  royal  east, 
Attired  in  Tyrian  robea,  the  sun  comes  forth, 

Led  by  the  stars  to  his  Assyrian  feast. 
My  soul  is  like  that  day-dawn — like  that  sun 

Outrolled  into  a  golden  orb  of  light. 
I  see  heaven's  vast  ecliptic  round  me  run, 

From  its  own  motion  made  intensely  bright, 
Encircling,  with  triune  Saturnian  zone, 

God's  inner  sphere,  perfect,  supreme,  alone. 

Here  let  me  gather  thoughts,  as  heaven  for  aye 
Ingathers  all  the  stars  into  its  day ; 
And  let  me  form  from  out  their  sphere  sublime 
A  glorious  Poem,  fragrant,  pure,  divine — 
An  Epic  of  the  Stars.     Be  this  my  theme. 
Favor  my  soul's  desire,  O,  Lord  supreme ! 
Give  me  to  breathe  a  charm,  of  love  so  full, 
That  Earth  shall  from  it  drink  the  Beautiful, 
As  angels  rapture  from  Thy  infinite 
Sweet  melody  of  love  and  love's  delight, 


21 


And  wake  to  joy,  as  might  a  widowed  bride, 
Who,  startling,  finds  the  lost  one  by  her  side  ; 
Immortal  life,  love,  rapture — to  her  eyes 
A  Bridegroom  sun-descended  from  the  skies ' 


EPIC  OF  THE  STARRY  HEAVEN. 


SCENES. — Earth;  the  Seventh  Spiritual  Sphere  of  Earth,  and  the 
Electrical  Ocean  of  the  Solar  System  between  Earth  and  Mars 

I  AM  not  used  to  muse  upon  my  ills, 
Though  often  troubles  on  my  spirit  lie 
Chill  as  December  snows,  obscuring  all  the  sky. 

A  softened  splendor  fills 
My  mind  in  darkest  hours,  and  in  my  breast 

Peace  Avhispers,  "  Come  what  may,  thy  lot  is  blest " 
Beyond  the  common  fate  of  man  below  ; 
The  tides  of  Heaven's  great  purpose  in  thee  flow. 
Yet  sometimes  all  my  spirit  groweth  dark, 

And  cold,  and  desolate.     Upon  me  fall 
Interior  pains.     My  bosom  is  the  mark 

Death  aims  at.     Mournful  voices  to  me  call 


24  ANEPICOFTHE 

For  strength,  love,  pity,  guidance,  and  relief, 
As  the  wild  \v  inds  call  to  the  autumn  leaf, 
And  I,  alas !  am  poor  and  weak  as  they. 
Thus  it  befell  me  this  bleak  Autumn  day. 

Dark  seemed  my  lonely  way, 

And  like  the  dying  year 
I  saw  my  life  in  sorrow  disappear. 

Like  a  swift  arrow  shot  toward  the  sun, 

But  curving  downward  from  its  golden  height, 
And  falling  low  in  ignominious  flight, 

My  upward  way  seemed  closed,  my  life  undone , 

I  thought  of  mighty  spirits  in  their  prime 
Crushed  by  mankind  into  disastrous  graves  ; 

Of  gentle  goodness  trodden  down  by  crime, 
And  Spiritual  Freemen  gyved  as  slaves. 
I  saw  in  vision  vast, 

The  moldering  tombs  of  the  forgotten  past. 
Earth  seemed  a  burning  wreck. 

Rocking  upon  a  serpent-swarming  sea, 
Despairing  nations  crowding  on  her  deck, 

Between  the  wo  that  is  and  wo  that  is  to  be. 

"  And  what,"  I  said,  "  is  being  but  a  Sorrow 
Waxing  and  waning  through  an  endless  night, 

Pursuing  Joy  as  night  pursues  the  morrow, 

Haunted  from  heaven  by  Love's  unknown  Delight, 


8TARRYHEAVEN.  25 

Which  it,  with  wearied  hope,  forever  seeks, 
And  finds  not  on  the  heights  or  in  the  deeps. 

There  came  a  Spirit  from  the  World  of  Souls, 

Like  sunrise  flashing  o'er  a  wintry  sea, 

And  I  looked  upward  from  my  agony 
As  a  pale  Martyr  from  the  burning  coals, 
And  said,  "  Bright  visitant,  too  late,  too  late ! 
Leave  me,  I  pray  thee,  leave  me  to  my  fate." 
I  wrapped  my  face  and  turned  mine  eyes  away. 
"  Oh,  haunt  me  not,"  I  cried,  "  for  why  should  Day 
Mock  Night  from  heaven  with  calm,  triumphant  smile, 
When  the  poor  Night  grows  wan  and  dies  the  while. " 

"  I  can  not  leave  thee,  brother,  in  thy  wo," 

The  angel  answered  ;  "  while  I  lived  below 

My  life,  like  thine,  seemed  all  a  dreary  waste  ; 

The  cup  I  drank  was  bitter  to  my  taste. 

Now  I  am  risen.     Wake,  aspire,  ascend ! 

Great  shadows  all  great  images  attend. 

Mountains,  whose  peaks  in  heavenly  sunshine  glow, 

Cast  equal  shades  upon  the  plain  below. 

Within  the  shadow  of  thy  own  high  fate 

Why  sit  forlorn  ?  celestial  friends  await. 

Rise  !  clothe  thyself  with  gladness  !"     As  he  spoke 

A  splendor  from  the  zenith  o'er  me  broke. 


26  A  N     E  P  I C     O  F     THE 

Earth  disappeared,  and  I  arose  and  stood 

On  the  bright  summit  of  Earth's  Seventh  Sphere. 
I  saw  the  spirit-sky — I  felt  the  flood 

Of  music  lift  me  to  that  region  clear 
Of  endless  morning,  where  the  Man  of  Sorrows 

Shines  from  the  Infinite,  and  every  knee 
Is  bent  in  living  adoration  there, 

And  every  face  immortal  glory  borrows 
From  His  own  countenance.     The  very  air 
Thrilled  me  with  ecstasy,  for  Love  Divine 
Flowed  in  it.     Through  the  vastness  of  that  shrine 
The  constellated  spirits  burned  and  shone. 
I  bowed  in  worship  at  the  Spirit-Throne  ; 
And,  as  I  prayed,  methought  an  answer  came. 
My  heart  impulsed  the  warm  blood  through  my  frame, 
Till  the  shrunk  channels  overflowed,  and  then 
Celestial  voices  breathed  a  low  "  Amen." 

A  new-born  language  trembled  on  my  tongue, 
Whose  tones  accorded  with  the  singing  stars  ; 

A  company  of  spirits,  blithe  and  young, 
From  Jupiter,  and  Mercury,  and  Mars, 

Drew  near  and  said  to  me,  "  Three  days,  dear  friend, 
Thou  art  our  guest ;  come,  wing  thy  blessed  flight 
Through  the  unvailing  ocean  of  sweet  light." 
I  saw  this  language  penned 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  27 

By  a  bright  Angel  on  a  golden  scroll : 

"  Let  heaven  be  opened  for  another  soul." 

We  passed  the  sphere  with  swift  and  winged  motion, 

And  sped  above  an  atmospheric  ocean 

Wherein  the  planets  shone  from  far  to  me, 

Like  silver  mountains  in  a  purple  sea. 

Like  new-born  Thoughts  that  glow  and  burn,  suspended 

In  the  vast  pantheon  of  an  Angel's  mind, 
All  thought  with  love,  all  love  with  wonder  blended, 

We  rest,  and  lo  !  with  vision  unconfined, 
See  a  DIVINELY  HUMAN  FORM  who  stands 

Upon  the  sun,  and  holds  a  diamond  rod. 

It  is  a  shadow  from  the  face  of  God, 
In-formed  in  quivering  light.     Seraphic  bands 

Rise  from  the  sun  like  many-colored  rays, 

Chanting  around  it  melodies  of  praise. 

"  Know  ye  that  Angel  standing  on  the  sun  ?" 

A  ministering  spirit  asks.     That  look — 
The  very  look,  the  great,  yet  Crucified  One, 

Divine  with  love  that  Evil  could  not  brook, 
But  turned  with  all  its  alien  hosts  and  fled 
Into  the  dark  dominions  of  the  dead — • 

That  look,  whose  light  o'er  darkened  Calvary  shone, 
In-streams  on  me — I  know  it — know  it  well. 
Not  in  man's  heart  doth  thy  dear  likeness  dwell, 


28  ANEPICOFTHE 

O  Lord  !  alone.     'Tis  imaged  o'er  the  dome 

That  spans  the  sun,  the  bright  imperial  home 

Of  angel-nations,  and  forever  shines, 

Filling   with   seven-fold    light   those    vast    and    tranquil 

climes — 

Forever  beaming  there,  the  Day  of  day, 
Whose  glory  clothes  the  orb  with  Love's  perennial  May. 

Thou  Sun,  rejoice  !     Ye  goodly  company 
That  round  it  throng,  and  fill  with  harmony 
Of  planetary  life,  the  stellar  space — 
Ye  too  rejoice,  run  brightening  on  your  race  ! 
Not  from  the  sun  alone  ye  draw  your  light  : 

The  great  Creator's  image  stands  thereon, 
Outpouring  from  your  system's  inner  height 

Such  floods  of  glory,  that  the  horizon 
Rolls  back  an  evening  splendor  on  the  morning. 
Cease,  cease,  oh,  mortal  man,  the  idle  scorning 
Of  the  high  mystery — God  in  Christ ;  for  lo, 
Yon  sun  His  image  to  the  stars  doth  show, 
And  all  the  stars  from  God  in  Christ  derive 
Their  light,  and  from  His  life  their  nations  live. 

The  origin  of  Beauty,  Love,  and  Truth — 
Of  light,  life,  motion,  and  immortal  youth — 
Of  form,  of  music,  sweetness,  and  delight, 
Flashes  from  God's  own  Image  on  my  sight. 


STARRYHEAVEN.  29 

I  feel  the  pulses  of  the  Eternal  Soul 

In  all  my  veins.     My  thoughts  within  me  roll 

Like  new-born  planets,  flushed  with  happy  life. 

My  nature  is  at  rest.     There  is  no  strife, 

No  battle  of  contending  forms  above 

Earth  and  its  spheres. 

Know  ye  the  Land  of  Love  1 
Its  ancient  boundaries  ?  the  broad  extent 
Of  its  illimitable  continent  ? 
Where'er  worlds  bloom  and  spirit-skies  unfold, 
Outflow  its  atmospheres  of  living  gold. 
The  Universe  is  like  a  silver  bell — 
The  tongue  of  time  such  harmony  doth  tell, 
That  worlds  are  formed  within  the  widening  sea 
Of  one  divine  perpetual  ecstasy 


AN"     EPIC     OF     THE 


fart  !to0. 


SCENE. — The  Electrical  Ocean  of  the  Solar  System  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  Planet  Mars. 

"  THERE  are  seven  degrees  in  the  holy  Sphere 

That  girdles  the  outer  skies  ; 
There  are  seven  hues  in  the  atmosphere 

Of  the  Spirit  Paradise, 
Arid  the  seven  lamps  burn  bright  and  clear 

In  the  mind,  the  heart,  and  the  eyes 
Of  the  angel-spirits  from  every  world 

That  ever  and  ever  arise. 

"  There  are  seven  ages  the  angels  know, 

In  the  courts  of  the  Spirit  Heaven  ; 
And  seven  joys  through  the  spirit  flow 

From  the  morn  of  the  heart  till  even ; 
Seven  curtains  of  light  wave  to  and  fro 
Where  the  seven  great  trumpets  the  angels  blow  ; 
And  the  Throne  of  God  hath  a  seven-fold  glow, 

And  the  angel-hosts  are  seven. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  31 

And  a  spiral  winds  from  the  worlds  to  the  suns, 

And  every  star  that  shines 
In  the  path  of  degrees  forever  runs, 

And  the  spiral  octave  climbs  ; 
And  a  seven-fold  heaven  round  every  one 

In  the  spiral  order  twines." 

A  company  of  Spirits,  whose  white  arms 
Are  twined  like  lilies,  float  above  the  deep.. 
Their  music  lulls  my  spirit  into  sleep.* 
Lo  !  one  most  beautiful  unvails  her  form — 
My  thoughts  are  drawn  to  her  as  dew-drops  to  the  morn. 
"  Oh,  rose-lipped  Seraph,  whose  celestial  charms 
O'ercome  my  being  with  a  calm  divine — 
Whose  heart  of  love  in  love  inflows  through  mine — 
Whose  eyes  are  twin-born  spheres  that  blend  together 

As  the  sweet  ocean  and  the  enamored  sky, 
Feeling  thy  presence  dear,  I  care  not  whether 
My  being  to  its  primal  life  returns.     To  die., 
To  be  diffused  in  love,  and  made  a  part 
Of  the  divinest  Beauty  which  thou  art, 

*  The  word  "  sleep"  is  used  in  this  Poem  to  signify  a  state  of  transition,  during 
which  the  spiritual  senses  gradually  cease  to  take  cognizance  of  the  scene  which 
previously  had  been  sensorially  mirrored  upon  the  mind.  Through  this  process 
the  spiritual  senses  are  being  subjectively  elevated  or  transferred  into  rapport 
with  the  ensuing  locality,  its  scenery,  its  inhabitants,  its  forms  of  knowledge, 
elates  of  affection,  and  general  spheres  of  truth,  goodness,  aud  use. 


32  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Were  better,  better  far. 
Where  is  thy  home  ?  in  what  beguiling  star." 

I  hear  her  sweet  reply  : 
"  Brother,  I  am  a  Daughter  of  the  Sky, 

And  I  am  sent  to  be 
A  Sister  Spirit.     I  will  pilot  thee — 
Where  Beauty  sits  in  groves  of  asphodel, 
And  weaves  for  hearts  of  love  joy's  hyacinthine  spell, 
Charming  her  human  flock.     Seest  thou  yon  zone 
Of  roseate  light  ?     It  is  a  world  unknown 
By  wisest-thoughted  seers  of  the  earth. 
Within  its  fragrant  bowers, 
Death  withers  not  the  flowers, 
And  fierce  Despair  stings  not  the  breast  of  Worth. 
There  life  is  calm  and  holy  ; 
The  rose  and  myrtle  twine 

Round  loving  brows.     The  frosts  of  death  and  time 
Fall  not  upon  the  angel-maidens  there  ; 
But  Bride  and  Bridegroom  grow  divinely  fair 
Within  those  bowers  of  amaranth  and  moly, 

Counting  their  years  a  span, 
Tho'  centuries  have  pass'd  since  their  sweet  life  began. 

"  Thou  happy  soul,  thou  blessed  soul," 
The  maiden  sings  to  me. 


STARRYHEAVEN.  33 

"  Come,  drink  from  out  the  golden  bowl 

Of  joy,  I  pledge  to  thee  ; 
I  drink  to  thee  from  out  the  cup 

Of  love  and  love's  delight. 
Rise !  these  dear  arms  shall  bear  thee  up  ; 
Let  slumber  end  thy  sight. 
In  sleep  alone  canst  thou  be  borne 

To  that  transcendent  Land, 
Where  Love  hath  never  learned  to  mourn 

Or  vail  her  bosom  bland. 
In  sleep  alone  canst  thou  ascend 

And  pass  the  seven-fold  gates  ; 
In  sleep  alone,  oh,  spirit-friend, 

Celestial  morning  waits." 

As  sink  the  drowsy  billows  of  the  sea 

When  Night  is  in  the  skies, 
So  the  long  swells  of  thought  subside  in  me ; 

Sleep  closes  up  mine  eves. 
2* 


34  AN     EPIC    OF    THE 


SCENE. — An  Eden  of  Conjugal  Affection,  situated  upon  an  Islet  in 
the  Equatorial  Region  of  the  Planet  Mars. 

BENEATH  what  glowing  sky,  whose  diamond  hues 

With  thought  and  life  unknown  delights  transfuse, 

And  make  my  body  pure  and  crystalline, 

As  if  it  were  the  paradise  and  shrine 

Of  heavenly  love  and  wisdom,  do  I  wake  ? 

My  senses  unimagined  joys  partake. 

The  soft  air  melts  like  manna  on  my  tongue. 

Fairer  than  Bard  or  Prophet  ever  sung, 

Art  thou,  young  Eden !     By  what  other  name 

Than  Eden  can  I  call  this  floral  plain, 

Whose  azure  waters  flow  like  odorous  balms, 

Tongued  with  sweet  eloquence  ?    Those  trees  are  palms. 

It  is  an  island  in  an  azure  sea 

That  I  am  borne  to.     Overhead  I  see 

A  firmament  of  alabaster  hue, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  35 

Flecked  with  red  rose-leaves,  ever  falling  through, 
And  melting  on  the  air  in  crimson  dew. 

Within  this  blest  retreat 

The  Muses  have  their  seat, 
And  Heliconian  fountains  flow  like  wine. 

I  see  an  alabaster  shrine, 
That  like  a  fountain  changed  into  a  flower 
Of  silver  light  forms  an  immortal  bower. 
Each  separate  drop  is  like  the  whitest  pearl. 

I  see  a  fair-haired  girl 

Throned  like  young  Rafaelle's  Virgin,  far  within. 
Diaphanous  vails  of  light,  rose-hued  and  thin 
As  the  transparent  halo  of  a  star, 
Enfold  that  wondrous  shape.     She  calls  from  far 
With  voice  like  nightingales  in  bowers  of  June, 
When  earth,  and  heaven,  and  man  are  all  in  tune. 

The  shrine  she  dwells  in  vibrates  from  her  thought, 
As  if  its  marbles  were  by  angels  wrought 
In  harmony  and  union  with  the  life 

That  pulsates  in  her  veins. 
Her  nature  is  unconscious  of  all  strife  ; 

Smiling  she  sings  the  strains 
Of  Conjugal  delight ;  and  by  her  side 
Her  Bridegroom  sits,  calm-thoughted,  splendor-eyed, 
And  inspiration  gathers  from  her  song 


f  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

And  wisdom.     Overhead  a  splendid  throng 
Of  halcyon  Spirits  who  are  Inspirations,*       * 
Splendors,  and  Truths,  and  Joys,  and  Exultations, 
Voices  and  choral  Thoughts  of  Deity, 
Dwell  in  rose-hued  pavilions  in  the  sky, 
Whose  shafts  are  spirit-sunlight,  and  whose  walls 
Are  tempered  lightning.     Swift  upon  me  falls 
A  consciousness  that  bids  my  heart  disclose 
A  mystery  of  Love.     That  blessed  pair 

So  rosy-fresh  and  fair, 
Dwelling  within  that  crystal-builded  shrine, 

Have  seen  the  sands  of  time 
Drop  through  the  hour-glass  of  the  centuries  old, 
Yet  not  a  leaf  hath  fallen  from  Life's  red  rose, 
And  they  forever  dwell  within  their  Age  of  Gold, 
Unwearied  of  sweet  love,  forever  blending 
Their  inmost  lives  in  rapture  never  ending. 
Their  conjugal  affection  is  to  them 
A  robe  of  brightness  and  a  diadem. 
And  they  are  one  forever  and  forever, 
In  love  and  wisdom  like  a  blended  river 


*  Angelic  spirits,  according  to  the  diversity  of  their  genius,  and  also  according 
to  their  interior  degree  and  variety  of  illumination,  are  types,  in  a  finite  sense,  of 
sublime  attributes  of  Love,  Wisdom,  and  Use  of  the  Supreme  Spirit.  Spirits  of  the 
second  heaven  are  called  Strengths,  Wisdoms,  and  Splendors;  corresponding 
spirits  in  the  third  heaven,  Adorations,  and  Thoughts,  and  Voices  ;  while  spirits  in 
tiio  highest  heaven  are  called  Loves,  and  Charities,  and  also  Innocences,  and  the 
highest  (if  these,  Perfections. 


STARRYHEAVEN.  37 

Of  strength  and  beauty,  whose  remote  extremes 
Are  interfused,  being  bound  in  tempered  beams 
Of  God's  own  brightness  ;  for  the  living  zone 
Of  God's  own  Spirit  blends  the  two  in  one. 

This  is  their  paradise,  and,  mirrored  here 
In  the  translucence  of  the  atmosphere, 
All  angel-forms  of  innocence  appear. 
And,  like  a  crystal  river  from  above, 
Flows  down  an  effluence  of  immortal  love,  , 

Encompassing  the  twain 
With  harmonies  from  God's  eternal  main. 
For  God's  great  love  o'er  all  who  love  doth  lie, 
And  all  who  love  are  stars  that  beam  on  high, 
Bound  in  the  circle  of  eternity, 
In-winding  till  they  blend  complete,  and  find 
Eternal  oneness  in  God's  heart  and  mind — 
Dwelling  as  forms  of  truth-m-love  within 
The  glory -mantled  home  of  seraphim, 
O'erspanned  by  God's  own  presence,  rapt  away 
In  endless  trances,  vailed  in  the  pure  light 

Of  heaven's  all-perfect  day, 
Made  finite  symbols  of  the  Infinite 
Whose  love  and  wisdom  in  them  doubly  blends, 

And, never,  never  ends. 

"  We  all  are  Lovers  in  this  Land  of  Gladness ; 


277201 


38  A  N     K  P  I  C     O  F     T  H  E 

Here  discord  never  grieves  the  wedded  heart. 
No  sense  of  weariness,  no  breath  of  sadness 
Darkens  Love's  home.     It  is  the  Eden  mart 

"  Of  sweet  affections,  blooming  like  the  flowers 

That  shine  with  glorious  hues  from  God's  own  face  ; 

Immortal  joys  from  out  the  blissful  hours 

Come  forth  like  stars  from  heaven  and  run  their  race. 

"  We  all  are  Lovers  in  these  pure  dominions — 
Each  mind,  each  heart,  is  bridegroom  or  is  bride. 

We  soar  immortal  on  ecstatic  pinions  ; 

Love  reigns  in  all — Love,  Love  the  glorified. 

"  There  is  no  knowledge  save  the  truth  of  love  ; 

Each  truth  unto  its  own  dear  love  is  wed ; 
In  dual  flight  from  heaven  to  heaven  we  move  ; 

With  deathless  feet  the  crystal  air  we  tread. 

"Up  from  our  paradise  we  rise;  the  gates 
Of  morning  open,  and  the  shining  Fates 
Transform  us  into  children ;  there  we  reign 
New-born  we  live,  mature,  and  wed  again. 

"  The  glorious  company  of  angels  move 

In  dual  circles  of  conjugial  love. 

From  every  world  within  the  stellar  space, 

Mind  seeks  its  Heart,  and  Wisdom  finds  its  Grace." 


STARRY     HEAVEN. 

In  strains  like  these  the  heavenly  choir  sing  on 
The  tones  recede — the  shining  train  retire. 

And  now  a  second  choir 
Take  up  the  theme,  and  chant  in  unison. 

"  Star  unto  star  in  ethers  wed, 
Heaven  is  to  heaven  in  marriage  led. 
All  Loves  and  Wisdoms  interflow — 
Goodness  and  Truth  commingling  glow. 

"  And  thus  material  worlds  have  birth, 
And  thus  unfold  the  flowers  of  Earth; 
And  thus  the  golden  East  renews 
The  glory  of  its  deathless  hues. 

"  Goodness  and  Truth  in  one  agree ; 

The  pure,  harmonious  family 

Of  wedded  spirits  evermore 

The  God  of  Truth  and  Love  adore, 

In  endless  union  rising  on, 

Till  Inmost  Heaven  is  inly  won. 

"  Lift,  lift  your  raptured  voices  far, 
Ye  dwellers  in  the  solar  star ; 
Yon  sun  itself  is  Love's  domain 
Where  wedded  angels  love  and  reign. 


40  ANEPICOFTHE 

"  Speak  from  your  silver  thrones,  and  tell 
Ye  planets ;  ye  are  homes  as  well 
Of  wedded  hearts  who  everywhere 
Perfume  with  love  your  fragrant  air. 

"  This  is  Creation's  ancient  faith — 
Conjugial  Love  o'erconquers  death; 
And  wedded  souls  from  worlds  arise 
To  golden  nuptials  in  the  skies." 


The  Eve  of  this  sweet  Paradise 
Speaks.     The  love-music  of  her  eyes, 
The  still,  sweet  music  of  her  inner  thought, 
Reveals  unto  my  spirit.     I  am  brought 

Into  celestial  rapport  with  her  mind. 
In  ivory  palaces  of  memory 
The  story  of  her  life  I,  pictured,  see. 

Within  that  sacred  inmost  there  is  shrined 
The  image-form  of  God — the  God  of  Love ! 
The  Spirit,  who,  descending  from  above, 
Outbreathes  His  essence,  shaping  spirit-natures, 

Whose  pure,  immortal  features 
Through  finite  forms  reveal  the  Infinite ; 
Who  breathe,  unfold,  and  blossom  in  His  sight, 
As  roses  in  the  sunbeams  of  the  day. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  41 

God's  pulses  through  this  human  spirit  play 
Like  fire  through  light  or  luster  from  a  throne, 
Brightening  from  One,  who,  in  Himself  unknown, 
Reveals  His  Being  through  creative  flame. 
A  naked  maiden,  innocent  of  shame 
(It  is  the  soul  of  this  celestial  maid), 
In  lily  light  of  innocence  arrayed, 

Shines  now  upon  my  vision. 

With  what  serene  decision 

She  thinks,  loves,  wills,  and  turns  to  God  the  Giver 
Of  life's  pure  breath — adoring  Him  forever  ! 
That  calm  eternal  Presence,  shining  on, 
Inspires  her  being  as  the  outer  sun 
Inspires  the  earth.     Whichever  way  she  turns. 
Still  in  her  breast  the  Eternal  Image  burns. 

The  dewy  chalice  of  a  thousand  flowers 
That  opens  eastward  in  the  morning  hours, 

An  urn  of  joy  o'erflowed  with  love's  pure  dew, 
Were  but  the  faint  reflection 
Of  thousand-fold  affection 

Unfolding  in  her  spirit  to  my  view. 

The  streams  of  diamond  brightness 
That  from  the  morning  lightness 

Flow  through  the  firmament  with  boundless  flame, 

ere  but  remotest  beaming 


42  ANEPICOFTHK 

Of  the  great  God-life  streaming, 

Through  heart,  and  breast,  and  every  crystal  vein. 

The  voices,  that  ascending 

From  choirs  of  doves,  and  blending 

With  summer  sweetness,  charm  the  leafy  groves; 
Each  to  its  dearest  mated, 
Each  fair  one  consecrated 

In  pure  affection  to  the  form  she  loves, 

Brooding  in  nests  of  argent, 
Swan-like,  beside  the  margent, — 

Of  azure  pools,  with  lily-chaplets  vailed, 
Or,  soaring,  lost  to  vision, 
Outpouring  from  the  elysian, 

The  dews  of  song  celestial  roses  yield  ; 

These  are  but  shadowy  dreamings, 
Or  distant  image-beamings, 

Of  families  of  loves  within  her  breast, 
That,  like  the  birds  of  Aidenn, 
Thrill  that  transcendent  maiden 

With  music  sweet,  and  in  her  bosom  nest. 

Each  drop  of  heart  that  beateth 
A  kindred  globule  meeteth, 
In-blending  with  it  in  her  breast  of  snow, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  43 

And  through  her  veins  distilling 
Her  loves  outflow  in  willing, 
And  vail  her  nature  in  a  crimson  glow. 

Ten  thousand  Graces  tend  her  ; 

Like  morn  in  its  own  splendor 
She  dwells  within  her  outer  form  serene, 

Making  her  body  heaven. 

Oh,  God !  to  me  'tis  given 
To  see  Love's  empress !  Beauty's  maiden  Queen  ! 

The  inner  soul  of  Beauty's  life — 

Thy  soul,  oh  !  maiden  dear, 
Outbreathes  with  holy  sweetness  rife  : 

I  drink  thy  glowing  sphere. 

Beyond  all  thoughts  in  heaven  or  earth, 

Heart-sweet,  my  spirit  finds 
The  thoughts  that  find  their  seraph-birth 

Within  her  blended  minds. 

Her  minds  are  two  conjoined  in  one — 

The  Bridegroom  and  the  Bride, 
As  light  and  heat  within  the  sun 

In  blended  soheres  abide. 

And  what  the  woman  thinks  in  heart, 
The  man  in  thought  conceives, 


44  ANEPICOFTHE 

And  every  truth  his  thoughts  impart, 
The  woman's  breast  receives. 

'Tis  a  strange  mystery  that  I  behold ; 
A  two-fold  pulse  of  silver  and  of  gold 
Flows  in  this  pure  and  happy-thoughted  breast ; 

Each  love  by  its  own  wisdom  is  caressed. 

Her  Bridegroom's  thoughts  within  her  bosom  lie, 
Wedded  in  nuptial  bowers  of  ecstasy 
To  her  heart-loves.     These  loves  in  turn  ascend 
Into  the  Bridegroom's  mind,  and  in  it  blend 
With  his  interior  truths,  which  rise,  receive 
Each  its  own  love,  and  in  that  union  live. 

Celestial  matrons  in  the  heavens  conceive 

Pure  forms  of  soul,  that  bud,  and  bloom,  and  smile, 

Unconscious  of  a  separate  life  the  while. 

These  are  the  germs  of  spirits,  and  inflow 

Through  father-life  and  mother-life  below, 

And  are  the  inmosts  of  all  children  born 

On  earths.     Tis  thus  the  soul  hath  its  first  morn, 

And  its  beginning  in  the  inmost  heaven ; 

And  it  descends  from  out  the  higher  skies, 

And,  like  a  bird,  flying  out  of  Paradise, 

And  finding  homely  shelter  at  the  eve 

In  some  lone  cot  in  the  vailed  world  below, 

From  highest  heaven  to  lowest  earth  Joth  flow. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  45 

Whom  God  hath  joined  no  force  can  put  asunder. 
Annihilation  only  can  destroy 
The  nuptial  bower  of  their  immortal  joy 

And  sacred  bliss — that  vailed,  that  hidden  wonder — 
The  Eden  of  the  Heart ! 

Their  natures  blend,  and  they  are  made  a  part 

Of  the  Eternal  Beauty,  Love,  and  Truth, 

Which  lives  in  them,  conferring  endless  youth. 

I  pause. — A  gradual  morning  on  me  breaks  ; 

My  soul  to  more  interior  life  awakes. 

I  see  why  Love  is  endless — why  the  twain 

Conjoined  in  love  can  never  part  again. 

God's  Truth  is  in  the  bridegroom.     By  its  side 

God's  Love  is  shrined  within  the  immortal  bride. 

And  Truth  and  Love,  with  infinite  embrace, 

Each  other  fold,  through  heart,  mind,  form,  and  face. 

Eve  through  her  Adam  feels  her  God  descending, 

And  truth-embraced,  with  blessedness  unending, 

Finds  inspiration  in  her  Bridegroom's  arms, 

Who,  in  his  turn,  through  her  celestial  charms, 

The  Love  of  God  receives  in  her  sweet  love. 

Oh,  Father  Spirit !  thou  art  throned  above 

All  human  thought !  yet  in  the  Eden  trees 

Of  truth  and  goodness  art  revealed  to  these. 

Scorn  not,  oh,  mortal  men,  this  mystery ! 


46  ANEPICOFTHE 

Ye  think  the  Eternal  Spirit  in  the  Past 
Through  wood  and  stone  revealed  His  presence  vast — 
Thrilled  the  mute  marble  with  His  touch,  and  shone 
From  out  a  burning  bush  His  servant's  sight  upon. 
Surely  thy  God,  who  stirred  the  insensate  dust, 

And  walked  amid  the  billows  of  the  sea, 
Can  thrill  the  sainted  bosoms  ofthe  just — 

Ope  their  interior  sight,  and  make  them  see 
Himself  descending  to  the  inmost  shrine 
Of  mind  and  heart,  in  truth  and  love  divine. 

'Tis  written  in  the  scroll  the  Heavens  believe, 
And  taught  in  their  bright  synods,  that  the  Lord 

With  wedded  souls  who  in  sweet  gladness  live, 

Dwells  radiant,  making  there  His  presence  known — 
Writes  on  man's  mind  the  tablet  of  His  Word, 

And  forms  in  woman's  heart  a  seraph-guarded  throne. 


STARKY     HEAVEN.  47 


fart  |ffttr. 


SCENE. — An  Eden  of  Maternal  Affection,  situated  upon  the  East- 
ern Portion  of  the  same  Isle. 

ANOTHER  scene  is  pictured  on  my  brain  ; 

A  shower  of  golden  rain 
Calls  me  to  outer  consciousness  again. 

The  former  spell  is  broken, 

Once  more  I  am  awoken  ; 
I  see  the  smiling  flowers,  and  breathe  the  fragrant  balms, 

A  company  of  Angels, 

Each  one  of  whom  resembles 
The  Virgin  Mary,  sit  beneath  the  palms ; 

Each  nursing  in  her  bosom, 

A  bud  of  soul  in  blossom, 
Like  the  Child  Jesus  in  the  ancient  time. 

Their  radiant  faces  glisten — 

They  sing.     Oh,  let  me  listen 
To  the  maternal  hvmn  their  voices  twiuo. 


48  ANEPICOFTHE 

"  Sleep,  children,  sleep,  young  innocent  immortals, 

Wafted  from  heaven  into  our  loving  arms ; 
Sleep  with  your  faces  turned  to  heavenly  portals, 
Lulled  by  melodious  charms. 

"  We  welcome  you  to  our  terrestrial  being, 

Lovely  immortals,  vailed  in  irifpncy. 
God,  Father,  Thou  our  inmost  hearts  art  seeing, 
Lift  these  young  souls  to  Thee." 

The  children  as  they  sleep 

Are  taken  from  their  mothers  ; 
Angels  from  heaven's  clear  deep, 
Like  sisters  and  like  brothers, 
Shine  through  the  golden  morn,  and  bear 
The  happy  infants  higher,  higher 

To  where 

Pale  rivers  of  celestial  fire 
Flow  down  into  the  natural  sky,  and  roll 
Around  the  world  pure  love-spheres  that  the  soul 
Can  bathe  in.     These  young  infants  they  baptize 
In  the  auroral  effluence  of  their  skies. 
Each  infant  now,  clairvoyant,  wakes  and  sings 
In  the  clear  dawn,  unfolding  sphere-like  wings 
Of  golden  flame,  instarred  with  beauty.     Hark ! 
Each  infant  spirit,  like  a  glowing  spark — 
A  star  of  love,  whose  light  is  melody — 
Sings,  warbling  in  the  ether  calm  and  high, 


STARRS     HEAVEN  49 

"  There  are  children  in  the  heaven 

Who  on  earth  were  spirit-men  ; 
Through  their  love  they  have  arisen 

To  their  infancy  again. 

"  There  are  children  now  descending 

To  their  outer  life  below, 
To  receive  a  joy  unending 

As  through  Nature's  gates  they  go. 

"  There  are  children  white  and  golden, 

In  the  heaven  of  light  above. 
In  the  arms  of  angels  holden, 

And  enamored  of  their  love. 

"  We  have  fathers  and  have  mothers 

In  the  spirit  and  the  form ; 
We  have  sisters  and  have  brothers 

Undescended  from  their  morn. 

"We  are  rising,  we  are  rising, 

To  the  God  from  whom  we  came  ; 

In  our  innocent  surmising 

We  have  found  His  inner  name. 

"  Sure  the  God  of  all  the  moving 
In  our  inner  life  must  move ; 
3 


50  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

And  the  Father  of  the  loving 
Hath  a  name — and  it  is  Love !" 

Ye  infant  spirits  that  in  outward  shape 
Of  sovereign  beauty  pure  and  consummate, 
Appear  revealed  in  outer  time  and  space, 
Each  an  incarnate  essence  of  all  grace, 
How  angel-wise  ye  are — how  sweet  ye  sing! 

I  see  them  circling  in  a  spiral  ring 
Around  an  Angel-Woman  who  descends  ; 
Each  child  another  angel  overbends. 
The  angels  lift  the  infants  in  their  arms  ; 
Their  rapt  eyes  feed  upon  immortal  charms. 
And  now  they  bear  the  infants  tenderly 
To  their  terrestrial  mothers,  who  have  fed, 
Meanwhile,  upon  ambrosial  fruitage,  spread 
Before  them  by  young  Bridegrooms,  xvho  delight 
And  rapture  in  the  heart-revealing  sight. 

"  'Tis  an  ideal  picture  that  we  draw," 

Man  on  the  Earth  will  say,  when  this  he  reads, 
Turning  celestial  flowers  to  idle  weeds. 

"Nay,  Friend!  there  is  no  dark,  destructive  law 
Of  malformation  in  that  realm  serene, 
Whose  image  through  this  epic  verse  is  seen. 
Humanity,  that  on  thy  planet  lies 


STARRYHEAVEN.  51 

Prostrate,  unfolds  'neath  fairer  skies, 

In  fairer  forms  ;  and  love's  immortal  arms 

Fold  noble  hearts  to  unirnagined  charms ; 

And  childhood  there,  through  wedded  love  unfolded, 

Like  the  Child  Jesus,  beauty-formed  and  molded, 

Gladness  indraws  from  the  young  mother's  breast ; 

An  angel  tends,  and  'tis  by  angels  blest. 


52  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 


SCENE. — A  Spiritual  Templerin  the  Spiritual  Heaven  of  Mara. 

I  SEE  a  flock  of  silver-breasted  doves 
Resting  upon  a  crimson-blossomed  tree. 
Those  doves  have  human  voices — melody 
Expressive  of  the  soul's  interior  loves. 

They  sing  amid 

The  leafy  covert,  and  from  sight  are  hid 
By  the  harmonious  river  of  sweet  song. 
To  whom,  fair  doves,  to  whom  do  ye  belong  ? 
"  To  her,"  they  sing,  "  who  led  thy  spirit  hither." 
"  Where  has  she  fled  ?"  my  spirit  cries,  "  oh,  whither  ? 
Under  what  happy  shade  does  she  recline  1 

Beside  what  blue-veined  lake, 
Whose  wavelets  from  her  face  reflection  take 

Of  Beauty  so  complete, 
That  the  still  waters  thrill  with  pleasure  sweet  ? 

Or  on  what  solar  cloud, 


STARRY     HE AVE\.  53 

Is  she  upborne  amid  the  sky 
Where  angel-hosts  triumphant  sing  aloud 
Anthems  of  worship  to  the  Deity  ? 
Or  was  she  but  a  lovely  Exhalation 
Of  thought  divine,  whose  vails  of  amethyst 
Melted  away  in  viewless,  fragrant  mist, 

Her  mission  being  done  ?" 

"  I  hear  thee  call  me,  thou  beloved  one  ; 

Thy  sister-angel  comes.     These  doves  are  mine  ; 

I  am  the  Spirit  of  yon  rosy  shrine. 

Wouldst  know  my  history  ? 
My  beating  heart  shall  syllable  to  thee 
The  periods  and  the  changes  of  my  nature." 

Saying  this,  she  called  an  antelope,  a  creature 

Thin-flanked,  dove-eyed,  with  hoofs  of  crimson  jet, 

And  pointed  upward  with  her  moon-like  hand, 

And  made  a  circle  in  the  silver  sand, 

And  said  unto  the  fawn-like  creature,  "  Fly !" 

A  golden-sandaled  Spirit  then  drew  nigh, 

Like  young  Apollo  of  the  mythic  story, 

Worshiped  as  God  of  light  when  Greece  was  in  her  glory. 

A  silver  crescent  on  his  forehead  shone  ; 

His  lips  were  like  a  luminous  ruby  stone. 

His  silken  mantle,  by  the  wind  out-blown, 

Revealed  a  form  of  matchless  symmetry, 


54  A  N     E  I3  I  C     O  F     T  H  E 

Blue  as  earth's  dome. 

Now  smiling  turned  to  me 
My  lovely  guide,  and  said, 
"  Seest  thou  yon  fields  of  splendor  overhead  ? 

There  is  my  home  ; 
And  I  have  sent  my  swiftest  antelope, 

Whose  path  is  like  a  sunbeam  o'er  the  foam 
Of  the  white  ether,  and  he  climbs  the  slope 
Of  the  ethereal  mountains,  and  ascends 
Bearing  these  tidings  to  immortal  friends, 
And  tells  them  thou  art  coming.     Thou  wilt  hear 
Soon  such  rich  voices  in  the  atmosphere, 

Thy  soul  will  ne'er  forget." 

"  Am  I  in  Fairy  Land  ?"  I  said.     "  The  nights 
Of  the  Arabian  Fable  are  exceeded. 
My  soul  in  labyrinthine  splendor  winds 

And  egress  nowhere  finds. 
Wonder  by  new-born  wonder  is  succeeded. 

My  mind  in  these  far  flights, 
Is  like  an  humble  sparrow  or  a  lark, 
That,  following  from  below  the  sun's  bright  bark, 
Loses  itself  where  rainbows  blend,  and  sparks 
Like  fleeting  fire-ships  glimmering  through  the  darks, 
Sail  round  the  fragile  wanderer's  unknown  track, 
And  worlds  disclose  themselves  amid  the  wrack 
Of  half  unreal,  half  immortal  shadows. 


STARR  VHKAVEX.  55 

Yon  antelope  of  thine  in  these  rich  meadows 
Pastured  a  moment  since,  a  dust-born  thing, 
Now  he  through  ether  flies,  yet  hath  no  wing. 
What  means  this  ?"  • 

"  Brother,  dear,"  the  maiden  said, 
"  In  thine  own  Sacred  Book  hast  thou  not  read 
That  all  created  forms  in  God's  first  plan 
Were  made  subservient  to  the  mind  of  man  ? 
How  even  the  fretted  beast  of  burden  spoke  ?" 

"  Yes,"  I  replied.     Another  wonder  broke 
Upon  my  sight.     The  antelope  drew  near, 
Bearing  a  winged  child,  a  messenger, 
Sent  from  the  heaven,  to  be  the  harbinger 

Of  a  celestial  train. 
I  looked  above  and  saw  an  ivory  fane 
Unvailed  amid  the  firmament  serene, 
Like  that  great  temple  which  young  Athens  built 

To  Wisdom's  Goddess-Queen. 
Its  thousand  shafts  and  sculptured  walls  were  gilt; 
A  thousand  cressets  burned  with  seven-fold  glow, 
'Mid  its  high  portal,  waving  to  and  fro 

With  alternating  flame 

Of  green,  and  gold,  and  crimson.     Then  a  strain 
Of  loud  and  glorious  music  rose  and  filled 
The  air. 

Sharp  pangs  my  kindling  spirit  thrilled ; 


;",6  AN     EPIC    OF    THE 

For  joy  intense  above  my  nature's  power 

Streamed  through  my  heart  like  sunrise  through  a  flower. 

With  new-born  senses  quickened  I  grew  strong. 

1  heard  the  inner  wisdom  of  the  song 

Which  like  a  river  through  its  entrance  poured. 

My  spirit  like  an  eagle  rose  and  soared 
In  the  rich  sea  of  music.     I  ascended 
Higher  and  higher  till  my  flight  was  ended. 
In  the  great  temple  welcomed,  I  forgot 
All  that  I  had  been — all  that  I  was  not. 

I  stood  within  the  temple,  and  I  thought, 
This  is  a  work  of  God's  divinest  art. 
By  no  created  mind,  no  angel,  wrought, 
But  'stablished  in  the  super-stellar  mart 
Where  angels  congregate,  to  be  for  them 
As  to  a  king  his  royal  diadem, 
The  crown  of  all  completeness. 

Then  I  saw 

A  vision  of  Immortal  Souls,  and  found 
In  each  a  sovereign  spirit,  throned  and  crowned. 
Are  these  the  Gods,  and  this  their  Pantheon  ? 
A  vibrant  "  No,"  full  spoken  by  each  one, 
All  my  nerved  being  like  an  aspen  shook. 
"  Hast  thou  not  read  in  thy  '  Most  Ancient  Book,' " 


STARRYHEAVEN.  57 

A  mighty  spirit  said,  "  One  God  above 
Creation  reigneth — and  His  name  is  Love  ! 
We  are  the  Angels  of  the  lower  heaven, 

Unconscious  of  all  guile. 
We  reign  as  kings  ;  and  unto  us  'tis  given 

In  solemn  state,  apparent  for  a  while, 
To  shine  upon  thy  mind,  imprinting  there 
Wisdom  for  thee  to  breathe. 

Our  words  declare  : 

Tell  what  thou  seest  as  to  thee  'tis  shown. 
The  Heaven  around  thee  is  a  Spirit  Zone. 
Within  the  circle  of  our  ether  glows 
A  lovely  planet.     Tis  the  planet  Mars." 

Saying  this  he  paused  ;  then  said,  "  There  are  twelve  stars 

Superior  Planets  in  the  solar  scheme, 

Blooming  as  crystal  lilies  on  the  stream 

Of  solar  effluence.     Thou  shalt  yet  behold 

The  Silver  Heaven  and  the  Heaven  of  Gold, 

And  afterward  shalt  visit  that  high  fold 

Of  Love  in  Wisdom,  whereunto  no  man 

From  thine  own  earth  has  risen  since  time  began. 

Meanwhile,  from  this  bright  altitude  of  thought, 

Since  thou  wast  to  us  for  that  purpose  brought, 

We  will  instruct  thee." 

Here  the  speaker  ends. 
Immortal  Wisdom  with  my  spirit  blends  ; 
3* 


>J8  A  N     E  P  I  C     O  F     T  H  E 

I  am  uplifted  bodily  ;  my  brain 

Seems  opened — filled  with  light — and  closed  again. 

Like  a  clairvoyant  angel,  I  behold 

God — nature — spirit — splendors  manifold 

Of  archangelic  and  cherubic  form. 

Into  immortal  wisdom  I  am  born. 

I  stand  in  thought  upon  a  pinnacle  ; 

Visions  of  deathless  love  my  being  fill. 

The  snow-white  atmosphere  of  angel-light 

Impermeates  my  brain  and  purifies  my  sight. 

There  are  seven  links  from  God  to  man  ; 
There  are  seven  links  and  a  three-fold  span, 
And  seven  spheres  in  the  great  degree 
Of  one  created  immensity. 

There  are  seven  octaves  of  spirit-love 
In  the  heart,  the  mind,  and  the  heavens  above  ; 
And  seven  degrees  in  the  frailest  thing 
Though  it  hath  but  a  day  for  its  blossoming. 

(•>:m  «,   iiluiJ-jtfcfiy/'  .;;••.•"  -  i  <V  m  ••T-uJ  '|O 
There's  an  outward,  an  inward,  and  inmost  shape 
In  every  thing  that  our  God  doth  make  ; 
All  outward  forms  from  the  inward  roll, 
And  the  inward  lives  from  the  inmost  soul ; 
But  the  God  of  the  Universe — Three  in  One — 
Is  the  Soul  of  soul  and  the  Sun  of  sun. 


S  T  A  R  R  Y     H  E  A  V  E  N  .  59 

Music  and  love  are  but  life  in  motion — 
Truth  is  the  sky  of  the  heart's  deep  ocean. 
Rapture  and  mirth  and  the  joy  of  man 
In  the  rounded  bliss  of  our  God  began. 

He  is  the  Lover,  and  loveth  all ; 
He  is  the  Splendor  whose  glories  fall 
Downward  and  downward,  until  they  rest 
In  the  planet's  heart  and  its  starry  vest. 

One  is  the  Cause,  and  the  end  like  Him. 

He  wills,  and  the  worlds  from  his  thoughts  outswim. 

And  the  worlds  grow  bright 

With  a  spirit  light, 

And  they  bloom  with  soul 

As  they  glimmer  and  roll. 
And  the  Eden  gardens  where  lovers  dwell, 
Tranced  in  sweet  joys  they  alone  can  tell ; 
And  the  kingly  states  of  the  free  and  bold, 
Whose  minds  are  silver  and  hearts  are  gold ; 

And  whose  thoughts  are  like  horses  of  white  that  draw 

The  glowing  car  of  the  holy  law  ; 

And  the  pure  affections  that  glow  and  live 

From  the  inner  life  that  our  God  doth  give  ; 

And  the  solemn  temples  that  share  duration 
With  man  himself  in  his  generation, 


60  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

And  rise  unfolded  in  sculptures  fair, 
Like  epic  hymns  through  the  fragrant  air  ; 

And  the  kingly  glories  of  time  and  space, 
And  the  lovely  hues  of  the  human  face, 
And  the  solemn  swells  of  the  human  heart, 
Fired  with  the  presence  and  theme  of  art ; 

And  the  wondrous  charms  of  song  divine, 
And  the  rapt  musician's  heaven-taught  line, 
And  the  tinted  beauties  and  statues  grand, 
From  the  Painter's  eye  and  the  Sculptor's  hand 

And  the  high  revealments  of  Sages  wise, 
And  the  vision  vast  of  the  Prophet's  eyes, 
And  the  boundless  joy  that  is  everywhere 
In  the  stars,  and  the  suns,  and  the  fields  of  air  ; 

And  the  breathing  beauties  of  field  and  flood, 
Outspring  from  the  Mind  of  the  Perfect  Good, 
And  they  blend  and  shine  in  the  perfect  whole, 
And  live  from  the  One  Creative  Soul. 

The  slightest  flower  that  opes  below 
From  the  smile  of  our  God  receives  its  glow, 
And  the  highest  angel's  countenance  beams 
From  the  great  Creator's  presence-gleams. 


S  TARRY     HEAVEN.  61 

Yet  'tis  said  by  the  darkened,  earth-bound  mind, 
That  God  doth  man's  freeborn  spirit  bind, 
And  crushes  the  brain  to  the  narrow  thought, 
By  the  outward  senses  forged  and  wrought. 

In  the  great  audience-chamber  of  the  Spirit, 
The  Inner  Temple  that  the  Pure  inherit, 
Freedom  unlimited,  the  right  of  Thought, 
Is  God's  own  mandate,  to  all  spirits  taught ; 
He  who  to  spectral  shadows  bends  the  knee 
Abjures  the  worship  of  the  Deity ; 
And  those  who  kneel  to  creeds  of  human  thought, 
Deny  the  faith  in  heaven  to  angels  taught. 

In  all  the  wide  ecliptic's  golden  ring 
"One  Truth,  One  God,"  inspired  archangels  sing; 
"  One  Truth,  One  God,"  all  spirits  pure  confess, 
And  all  the  tortured  mind's  unknown  distress 
Comes  when  'tis  smitten  by  the  burning  rod 
Of  slavery — forged  by  man — disowned  by  God. 

Blessed  are  all  the  Free. 
Nursed  on  the  mother-breast  of  Liberty, 
They  draw  great-thoughted  wisdom  from  her  life. 
They  learn  that  Peace  is  better  far  than  strife, 
And  in  the  silver  zone  of  right  intent 
Their  ordered  lives  are  intersphered  and  blent. 


62  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Blessed  be  God  for  Freedom  !  without  it 
The  Universe  were  but  a  smoking  pit 
Of  torture,  terror,  madness,  and  despair. 
In  the  great  feast  of  freedom  all  men  share, 
Whose  lives  unfold  in  harmony  with  truth. 
Joy,  beauty,  inspiration,  deathless  youth, 
Pure  poet-vision,  prophet-sight,  and  skill 
To  shape  inferior  nature  to  their  will, 
And  love  so  deep  the  soul  may  gaze  into 
A  golden  ocean  blended  with  the  blue, 
And  see  therein  an  endless  beauty-maze 
Where  the  celestial  sun  reflected  plays  ; 
And  gladness,  like  a  rainbow  that  ascends, 
And  all  the  radiant  being  overbends  ; 
And  endless-growing  virtues,  summer-sweet, 
Rich  as  the  fruits  immortal  angels  eat — 
All  these  to  Freedom's  followers  are  given ; 
They  are  the  loved  of  God,  and  theirs  is  Truth's  own 
heaven. 

When  the  Great  Spirit  whom  our  fathers  knew 
Completes  man's  restoration,  earth  shall  see 

Celestial  heavens  shine  through 
The  outer  sky's  unstained,  untroubled  dome, 
As,  through  cerulean  vails,  a  great  white  throne. 
All  forms  of  life  their  morning  shall  renew, 
And  men  with  two-fold  vision  then  shall  gaze 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  03 

On  two-fold  splendor,  and  immortal  rays 
Of  spirit-fire  shall  thrill  the  quickened  sight, 

And  there  shall  be  no  Night ; 
But  when  the  natural  sun  descends  and  fades 

From  the  clear  west  the  ebbing  sunset  gold, 
From  north  to  south  the  auroral  light  shall  play 
And  end  the  twilight  shades, 

And  draw  around  the  earth  the  curtain  fold 

Of  spiritual  light — electric  day. 
From  north  to  south  the  splendor-flame  will  shine, 
Making  the  world  a  spiritual  shrine, 
Lit  by  electric  lamps,  from  God's  own  Spirit  kindled; 
And  when  the  shadowy  distances  have  dwindled 
Between  man's  outer  and  his  inner  form, 
And  his  cold  heart  with  heaven-born  love  grows  warm, 

The  earth  itself  shall  bathe  its  breast  in  waves 
Of  rich,  aromal  virtue,  far  too  pure 
For  man's  existing  frame  corporeal  to  endure. 

Great  Truths  shall  rise  from  their  forgotten  graves, 
And  summon  Falsehood  to  God's  judgment-bar. 
No  more,  from  cannon  lips,  loud-speaking  War 
Shout  horrently ;  but  Peace,  with  silver  wand, 
Descending  from  the  Infinite,  beyond 
All  pictured  form  of  seraph  fair  and  grand, 

Unite  the  severed  nerves  of  brotherhood, 
Till  earth  becomes  one  free  and  happy  land, 

Which  God  shall  bless  and  own  divinely  good. 


64  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

More  terrible  than  War  is  outward  Peace, 
Based  upon  slavery  and  nerved  by  crime, 
While  Virtue  perishes,  and  like  dull  slime 
The  blood  of  Nations  stagnates  in  their  veins, 

And  the  crowned  Despot  reigns 
In  all  the  pomp  and  pageantry  of  guilt. 
Ere  long  such  arctic  Peace  from  earth  shall  melt, 

Such  mimic  order  cease. 

And  the  vast  avalanche  come  thundering  down  ; 
Then  wo  to  every  head  that  wears  a  crown. 
Freedom  shall  raise  the  avenging  blade  and  smite 
Her  foe,  as  morning  smites  the  hostile  night. 

All  forms  of  doctrine  shall  be  tried  by  fire. 

Each  fallen  man  shall  view  some  angel-sire — 

Through  rapport  with  that  angel-friend  shall  see 

In  heaven  the  Great  Republic  of  the  Free, 

And  learn  the  truth  which  God  himself  makes  known, 

That  Love,  and  Light,  and  Liberty  are  one  ; 

That  order  blossoms  from  the  tree  of  love  ; 

That  man  alone  can  rise  to  realms  above 

Through  individual  growth  and  inward  grace — 

Through  love  alone  behold  his  Father's  face — 

Through  love  alone  redeem  his  brother  lost. 

The  Earth  that  now  is  wrecked  and  tempest  tost, 
And  drifts  like  some  red  fire-ship  through  the  glooms, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  65 

Rocking  upon  the  sea  of  its  own  tombs, 

Shall  float  upon  a  sea  of  golden  azure, 

With  white  sails  filled  with  airs  of  sweetest  measure, 

When  Christ,  again,  His  promise  to  fulfill, 

Speaks  to  the  sea  of  time  and  says,  "  Be  still." 

Thus  Inspiration,  kindling  in  my  soul, 

Bids  me  declare.     I  can  no  more  control 

The  mighty  Thoughts  which  visit  me,  than  can 

The  dust  rebel  against  the  kingly  man. 

My  nature  like  a  harp  is  overswept 

By  Angel-fingers. 

Oh,  I  oft  have  wept 
O'er  the  consuming  agony  that  burns 
Man's  heart  to  ashes,  and  fills  up  the  urns 
Of  the  sky's  ether  with  the  smoke  of  grief. 
I've  seen  great  Nations  wither  as  the  leaf, 
And  poor  men  perish,  pale  and  stark,  before 
The  feasting  spendthrift's  menial-guarded  door  ; 
The  weakling,  beaten,  trampled  to  the  ground, 
Lashed  into  madness,  scourged  like  any  hound  ; 
The  pale  young  orphan  frozen  into  stone 
In  wintry  streets  unheeded  and  alone ; 
And  the  sweet  daughter  of  some  mother  dead, 
Forced  into  infamy  for  lack  of  bread, 
Like  a  fresh  flower,  plucked,  prized,  then  trodden  down, 
Knelled  to  destruction  by  the  Bigot's  frown. 


66  A  N     K  P  I  C     O  F     T  H  E 

But  these  shall  be  no  more. 

Oh,  Lord,  thou  art 

Drawing  from  Earth's  dear  breast  the  poisoned  dart. 
Thy  Earth  like  Thee  hath  worn  its  crown  of  thorns, 

And  staggered  on  its  dark  and  mournful  way, 
And  bared  its  flesh  to  feel  the  lash  of  scorns, 

With  none  the  impious  hand  of  Wrath  to  stay — 
Thy  Earth  hath  been  upon  its  cross  extended, 
The  midnight  darkness  o'er  it  hath  descended. 

The  wormwood  and  the  gall  its  lips  have  drunk. 
The  hands  of  labor  and  the  weary  feet 
Have  been  transfixed  in  agony  complete ; 

And  its  great  Martyr-heart  hath  never  shrunk, 
But  taken  into  itself  War's  burning  spear. 
Its  dying  cry  hath  rent  the  atmosphere, 
"  My  God  !  My  God !  why  hast  thou  me  forsaken  ?" 
Its  very  garments  from  it  have  been  taken 
And  gambled  for  by  impious  priests  and  kings. 
It  hath  been  buried  in  the  sepulcher — 
Fierce  warriors  placed  lest  it  should  quickening  stir 
And  rise  again  and  roll  away  the  stone. 
Angels  have  watched  it  through  the  midnight  lone, 
And  starry  planets,  sleepless,  pouring  down 
Their  light,  as  garlands  its  dead  brows  to  crown. 

The  grave  could  not  hold  thee,  thou  Crucified  One  ! 
And  even  so  Thy  Earth 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  67 

• 

Shall  rise  again  to  an  immortal  birth  ; 
In  all  its  veins  Thy  Inspirations  run. 


There  are  twelve  great  chords  in  the  Solar  Harp 

One  chord  alone  unstrung  ; 
That  chord  is  touched  with  a  living  spark, 

And  again  it  finds  a  tongue. 

Joy  !  joy  !  joy ! 

That  chord  is  touched  with  a  living  spark, 
And  the  Earth  grows  fair  and  young. 

There  are  twelve  great  Angels  above  the  stars, 
And  they  sit  on  their  thrones  of  gold. 

But  the  throne  of  one  by  Death's  iron  bars 
Was  crushed  in  the  ages  old. 
Joy !  joy  !  joy ! 

For  Earth's  throne  again  is  among  the  stars 
And  she  sits  in  the  angel-fold. 

There  are  twelve  great  Nations  in  solar  space, 

But  one  of  them  sat  in  the  gloom ; 
The  sun  of  its  glory  vailed  its  face, 
In  the  darkness  of  the  tomb. 

Joy !  joy !  joy  ! 

For  the  twelfth  great  Nation  lifts  its  face, 
And  glows  with  immortal  bloom. 


AN      EPIC     OF     THE 


$»rt  Si*. 


SCENE. — The   Electric  Ocean  of  the  Solar  System  between   tho 
Planets  Mars  and  Jupiter. 

HELPLESS  as  any  foam-bell  on  the  rivers, 

I  am  borne  breathlessly  out  where  the  white 

Sea  of  eternity  rolls  on  my  sight. 
What  is  a  world  ? 

Tis  more  and  less  by  far 
Than  men  have  dreamed. 

Each  world's  a  flame-wheeled  car 
On  the  grooved  railway  of  the  skies.     A  dome 
Of  sunny  crystals  flecked  with  silver  foam, 

Spray  from  the  Solar  Ocean, 
Whereon  it  rocks  with  vibratory  motion  . 

A  heart  that  throbs  and  quivers  ; 
A  lily  blooming  on  the  crystal  sea 

Of  God's  creative  harmony  ; 

A  drop  of  dew  that  shines 

On  tree-like  Nature's  leafy  top  ; 


STARRY     HEAVEN. 

A  chariot 

Wherein  the  angel-hosts  in  glory  ride  ; 
A  rosy  bower  where  wedded  hearts  abide  ; 

A  living  Temple  filled  with  worshipers  ; 
A  nest — each  atom  is  an  egg  that  stirs 
With  embryonic  life,  and  longs  to  soar 
Through  the  pure  ether  to  the  Spirit-shore  ; 

A  drop  of  heavenly  rain 
That  crystallizes  as  it  falls  into 
A  diamond  orb,  out-sparkling  through  the  blue  ; 
A  procreant  cradle,  swinging  'mid  the  skies 
Waved  by  the  breath  of  angel-melodies  ; 
A  fair  young  Mother  holding  in  her  arms 
Sweet  Infants,  twins,  hued  with  immortal  charms- 
An  Adam  and  an  Eve  that  fondling  lie 
In  the  embrace  of  one  humanity. 

Strangely  it  looks  to  me  to  see  from  far 

The  planet  Earth  like  any  other  star ! 

Once  its  round  sides  seemed  limitless  ;  but  now 

Its  disc  is  like  an  apple  on  a  bough. 

All  size  is  relative,  and  God  alone 

Knoweth  the  actual  value  of  each  one 

Of  the  bright  globes  that  in  the  ether  swim  ; 

And  worlds,  because  of  men,  are  dear  to  Him. 

I  often  used  to  wish  at  eventide 


70  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

I  were  a  spirit  freed  and  glorified, 
Wandering  through  trackless  ether  at  my  will. 
And  when  the  planet  Mars  shone  bright  and  still, 
I  hailed  its  ruddy  flame,  and  wished  I  were 
Midst  its  unvisioned  realms  a  wanderer. 

Oh,  strange  transition !     I  have  left  that  spark, 
That  Earth  where  I  was  born,  so  dim  and  dark, 
And  wander  free  as  any  viewless  wind. 

O  God  !  thy  goodness  everywhere  I  find 
The  space  man  thinks  devoid  of  life  is  all 

One  high  celestial  hall, 

Thronged  by  the  deathless  spirits  of  the  free, 
Members  of  one  sublime  Humanity. 

This  mighty  ocean  whose  white  effluence  flows 
Around  each  star  like  daylight  round  a  rose 
In  some  sweet  garden,  thrills  on  every  side 
With  Spirits,  who,  upon  its  radiant  tide, 
Tread  lightly  as  on  pavements  clear  as  amber. 
Not  lonely,  not  alone,  the  bright  ones  wander  ; 
Divine  Societies  that  seem  to  be 
Of  kindred  essence,  beautiful  and  free, 
Yet  varying  as  the  colors  in  the  prism, 
All  holy,  from  the  planet-worlds  arisen, 
With  varied  motion,  everywhere  appear. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  71 

Again  I  see  that  Maiden  Spirit  dear, 
My  sister-angel.     Hark !  I  hear  her  sing : 
"  Unfold,  Immortal  Brother, 

Thy  spirit  as  a  wing. 
Go  up  toward  another 

Bright  World  !     Behold  its  King !" 

I  see  a  Spirit  vaster  in  his  stature, 
More  glorious  in  form,  attire,  and  feature 
Than  wisest  sages  of  the  centuries  past 
In  vision  saw.     Around  him  there  is  cast 
A  three-fold  robe  of  silver,  gold,  and  blue ; 
And  these  his  form  imperial  glimmers  through. 

He  calls  my  sister-guide  and  speaks  to  her  : 
His  words,  unknown,  my  intellect  bestir 
With  sense  of  vastness. 

Now  she  comes  to  me 

And  says :  "  Dear  friend,  that  Spirit  great  and  wise, 
In  whose  vast  thought  the  light  of  ages  lies, 
Is  from  the  mighty  planet  Jupiter." 
Toward  the  Spirit  I  am  led  by  her. 

"  Mortal,"  he  says,  "  the  first  one  of  thy  days 
Is  ended ;  soon  the  second  dawns  with  rays 
Of  ruby  fire  upon  thee.     Come,  for  I 
Wait  to  transport  thee  to  another  sky." 


72  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 


fart 


SCENE. — The  Electric  Ocean  of  the  Solar  System  in  near  prox- 
imity to  the  Planet  Jupiter. 

"  HE  who  on  earth  was  known  as  '  Man  of  sorrows,' 
Is  known  in  Heaven  as  the  CREATIVE  MAN. 

He  from  the  Infinite  forever  borrows 

A  seven-fold  form.     That  form  in  God  began. 

The  Spirit  of  that  form  is  Him  who  built ; 
The  form  itself  the  agent.     Heavens  outroll 

Forever  from  One  God  through  one  creative  Soul." 

So  speaks  that  Titan  Angel.     All  controlled, 
Each  movement,  thought,  volition  of  my  own — 
I  am  inspired  by  influence  unknown, 
Whose  thoughts  within  my  brain  take  outward  mold. 
Great  thoughts  descend — into  my  spirit  melt, 
As  morning  melts  into  some  quiet  lake, 
And  outward  image  take. 

I  am  possessed 
As  if  a  sun  were  germed  within  my  heart  and  breast. 


STARRY     HEAVEN. 

The  highest  heaven  is  like  a  Saint-like  Spirit,       » 
The  daughter  of  celestial  perfectness, 
Begotten  from  the  Father's  boundlessness. 

All  Angels  call  that  inmost  heaven  "  Mother  ;" 

As  one  maternal  form  the  Earths  all  love  her. 
The  second  heaven  within  the  form  appears 
Of  a  Man- Angel,  whose  great  thoughts  are  years. 

God's  Love  and  Wisdom  shines  in  dual  form 
Through  these,  and  they  eternity  inherit. 

They  blend  in  one  embrace.     From  thence  are  born 
A  family  of  vast  humanities — 
Each  sphered  within  a  separate  paradise. 

I  lift,  inspired,  mine  everlasting  eyes, 
And  the  slant  thought-beams  of  Divinity 
Form  a  transcendent  sphere 
In  which  all  worlds  appear, 
Each  in  its  own  degree. 

From  this  high  stand-point  worlds  and  suns  are  but 
As  water-drops  in  the  deep  ocean's  cup. 

I  never  knew  before, 
But  now  I  know,  and,  knowing,  I  adore, 
The  nearness  of  our  God  to  every  heart. 
No  soul  from  His  great  love  can  e'er  depart. 

God  circles  round  each  grain,  each  viewless  breath 
4 


74  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Of  man's  corporeal  nature,  as  He  sweeps 
His  own  pure  Infinite  round  heavenly  deeps, 
Girdling  each  atom  with  a  burning  zone 
Of  spirit-life,  and  stamping  that  His  own. 

I  see  the  inner  being  of  the  world 

From  where  I  have  ascended.     It  is  whirled 

So  rapidly  around  the  sun — it  flies 

Like  a  swift  meteor,  yet  with  spirit-eyes 

Unfilmed  from  darkness  now, 
And  lifted  o'er  all  altitudes  of  death, 

I  see  that  God  possesses  it — and  how  ? 

He  holds  it  in  his  hand,  as  one  might  hold 
A  dying  dove,  smoothing  its  feathered  gold, 
Touching  its  filmy  eyes  and  giving  sight ; 
Touching  its  torpid  brain  and  giving  light ; 
Pluming  its  wings  for  heaven's  immortal  flight 

Man  knoweth  riot  how  near  God  is  to  him. 

God's  hand  is  laid  upon  him.     There  is  plao    » 
On  every  brow  the  signet  of  God's  thought, 

Nor  can  that  signet  ever  be  effaced, 
Though  it  grow  famt  and  dim. 

"Not  thus  hath  Earth  been  taught, 
Oh,  Angel,"  I  reply.     "  Grave  prelates  say 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  75 

That  God  is  a  consuming  fire  who  burns 

Man's  very  heart  away, 
Till  dust  unto  the  primal  dust  returns, 
Then  makes  that  dust  immortal — kindles  in 
Heart,  mind,  and  form  the  blood-red  fires  of  sin — 
Twists  the  immortal  nerves  into  a  lash 
Of  coiling  serpents,  and  where  fire-waves  dash 

On  Agony's  eternal  coast, 

Precipitates  the  Lost, 

Rolls  waves  of  flame  from  His  revengeful  face 
And  makes  a  demon-world  the  vortex  of  the  race, 
And  gloats  upon  their  madness." 

"  Listen,  mortal," 
The  Angel  answers  ;  "  God  himself  shall  speak." 


I  see  a  Man  bowed  down  and  very  weak: 
It  is  a  vision  of  the  Ancient  time, 
That  man — the  very  Truth  of  Love  Divine  : 
I  hear  Him  speak.     His  calm,  sweet  smile  I 
"  All  that  the  Father  gives  shall  come  to  Me, 
The  Father  gives  all  things  into  my  hand." 

I  hear  another  utterance,  loud  and  grand, 
Sung  from  the  heavenly  portal — 
"  To  Him  shall  every  spirit  bow  the  knee !" 


"  Angel,"  I  cry,  "  these  gracious  words  are  said, 


76  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

I'm  taught,  to  living  men,  not  to  the  dead, 
And  I  am  told  that  none  but  those  in  time 
Who  find  His  grace  can  e'er  in  glory  shine." 

"  Crush  thou  that  impious  thought  beneath  thy  feet ; 

God's  mercy  is  eternal  and  complete. 

What !  limit  God  with  fetfers  made  of  dust ! 

Wear  out  His  goodness  with  the  body's  rust ! 

I  tell  thee,  No  !     Jesus  shall  reign  wherever 

A  soul  has  life,  and  in  that  soul  forever. 

Sin  is  the  canker  of  the  Universe : 

Shall  God  eternalize  that  burning  curse  ? 

Make  it  perpetual  as  Himself?     Not  so. 

Ere  long  the  golden  trump  of  love  shall  blow, 

And  seven-fold  harmony  the  world  inclose, 

And  Earth  rise  triumphing  o'er  all  its  woes. 

"  Wouldst  see  a  vision  of  the  latter  day  ?" 

I  hear  the  Angel  say, 
"  Give  me  to  see  it,"  quickly  I  reply. 

I  see  a  lovely  Maiden  in  the  sky 

Holding  a  mirror.     Fading  like  a  mist 

Of  silver  from  a  sun-like  amethyst ; 

The  vail  that  hides  it  is  withdrawn.    Revealed 

I  see  an  emerald  orb  upon  a  golden  field, 

Compassed  by  spheres,  and  like  that  raiubow  throne 

I  read  of  in  the  vision  of  Saint  John. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  77 

Earth  is  God's  throne.     The  spheres  around  it  turning 
A  seven-fold  paradise  of  spirits  burning 
With  love  and  adoration  boundless,  pure, 
Dwelling  in  God,  in  His  own  life  secure 
From  Retrogression's  dark,  disastrous  shadow. 
All  the  wide  world  is  an  enameled  meadow 
Where  shepherds  tend  their  flocks  and  cities  rise, 
Sun-domed  and  glory-tinted  to  the  skies. 
The  heavens  and  earth  are  one.     The  old  domain 
Of  Death  outblooms,  immortal,  once  again. 
All  the  fraternal  Nations  dwell  together 
Like  flocks  of  stars  shining  in  summer  weather, 
In  their  harmonious  circles,  and  agree 
As  loving  hearts  that  thrill  with  ecstasy 
From  all  that  gives  another  joy,  and  each 
In  thought,  in  beauty,  and  melodious  speech, 
Like  a  transfigured  Angel  in  his  sphere, 
Threads  the  bright  mazes  of  the  atmosphere, 
As  Jesus  walked  of  old  upon  the  sea. 


In  the  Beautiful  Hereafter 
Once  again  the  Eden  trees — 
Life's  undying  harmonies — 
Shall  from  mortal  dust  outbloom, 
Sunshine  triumph  over  gloom. 


78  AM     EPIC     OF     THE 

Man  now  treads  the  burning  rafter 
Thrown  across  the  burning  sea — • 
Hark !  the  Angel  sings  to  me  : 

"  In  the  Beautiful  Hereafter, 
Once  again  the  Eden  trees 
Out  from  God's  own  harmonies 
Shall  upon  the  Earth  unfold, 
Blooming  through  the  Age  of  Gold. 

Vain  is  thy  derisive  laughter, 
Critic  ;  can  a  single  sneer 
Blot  out  Summer  from  the  year  ? 

In  the  Beautiful  Hereafter, 

Hark  !  I  hear  that  Angel-strain, 

God  in  man's  own  heart  shall  reign, 

Man  become  a  spirit  pure, 

Earth  in  heaven's  own  form  endure  ; 

Seraph  hosts  shall  reappear, 

Then  shall  bloom  Love's  endless  year. 


Lift,  lift,  oh,  Mother  Earth,  thy  crownless  brow  ; 
Fix  on  the  Throne  of  Light  thy  darkened  eyes. 
Ere  long,  oh,  widowed  Heart  of  Earth,  shalt  thou 
Sit  radiant,  throned  on  new-formed  Paradise, 
With  all  thy  Eden  trees 
Around  thee  full  of  flowers, 


STARRYHEAVEN.  79 

With  all  thy  Eden  lovers  in  their  bowers, 
With  all  thy  stately  cities  full  of  men, 
Each  wearing  Truth's  imperial  diadem. 

Forever  and  forever 

Out  from  thy  heart,  oh,  Earth,  shall  flow  the  river 
Of  joyous  life.     Oh,  Earth,  sweet  Earth,  arise, 
Sit  on  thy  orb  and  clothe  thyself  with  joy : 
Love  shall  be  thy  beatified  employ. 

The  Planets  fair, 

As  one  declare 
Their  Sister  Earth  shall  yet 

In  endless  pleasure 

Wear  robes  of  azure, 
And  all  her  woes  forget. 

The  woes  of  time, 

By  Life  Divine, 
Effaced  shall  pass  away  ; 

And  the  Earth  shall  stand 

At  God's  right  hand 
The  daughter  of  endless  May. 


Like  a  flower  from  a  tree  by  the  south  wind  shaken. 

And  into  the  clouds  upborne, 
My  thoughts  from  the  leafy  earth  are  taken 

To  lands  where  men  never  mourn. 


80  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

As  clouds  that  rise,  by  the  south  wind  lifted, 

My  spirit  is  borne  to  where 
Great  masses  of  light  like  islands  are  drifted 
Around  a  kingly  pair 
Of  Planets  that  swim 
Through  the  ether  dim 
And  shine  like,  a  vision  fair 
Of  Beauty  and  Youth, 
Or  of  Love  and  Truth— 
I  am  drawn,  I  am  lifted  there. 


STARRY     HKAVEN.  81 


«igtt. 

SCENE. — The  Planet  Jupiter. 

VAST  Orb  out-rolling,  garmented  with  snow, 
Nay,  snow-white  ether-spheres,  and  known  below 
As  Jupiter,  I  rush  to  thy  embrace  ! 

Out  from  white  light  shines  a  majestic  face  ; 

He  draws  me  to  his  breast ; 
His  spirit  soothes  me  into  dreamless  rest. 

Winged  Pegasus  was  not  all  a  fable. 

Here  are  flame-winged  horses  who  are  able 

With  rapid  feet,  traversing  upper  space, 

To  fly  through  heaven  like  thoughts.     They  stretch  their 

race 

From  level  earth  to  atmospheric  belts 
Of  spotless  lightning,  which  the  Morning  melts 
Into  thin  mists  of  silver,  scattered  down 
Like  plumes  of  light  from  out  a  feathered  crown. 
4* 


82  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

I  see  a  company  of  angel-men, 

And  angel-women  'sociate  with  them  ; 

White  sheep  in  fields  of  ether  star  the  meads 

Of  chrysolite.     Each  flock  a  woman  feeds 

With  silver  lilies,  which  all  radiant  grow 

In  spiral  pathways,  where  her  bright  feet  glow. 

Pale  moon-flowers,  azure  veined,  ope  crimson  lips. 
Birds  drink  their  nectar.     Each  one,  as  it  sips, 
Draws  rapture  from  sweet  fragrance,  and  upsoars 
Buoyant  and  warbling  to  celestial  shores. 

There  are  trees  of  life  on  the  earth  below, 
And  each  blossom  opes  with  a  thousand  eyes, 

And  the  eyes  are  blue  and  the  lids  like  snow, 

And  the  trees  through  their  flowers  look  up  to  the  skies. 

There's  a  tree  I  behold  which  in  Earth  begins  ; 

It  has  pulses  of  crimson  in  ivory  limbs, 

And  its  lance-like  leaves  are  transformed,  and  bear 

Flowers  that  are  lights,  and  that  shine  through  the  air 

Like  faces  of  angels  through  clouds  of  fragrance  ; 

And  the  leaves  are  tongues,  and  with  musical  cadence 

They  utter  the  secrets  of  life,  and  tell 

Of  inner  virtues  in  flowers  that  dwell. 

And  birds  that  are  thoughts  that  have  taken  wings 

Dive  down  into  snow-while  water  springs, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  83. 

And  gather  electric  shapes,  and  glide 
Sparkling  and  singing  upon  the  tide. 

Upon  this  Planet  Man  is  King  of  Nature  ; 
And  every  shining  creature 
Of  air  and  earth  and  flood  obeys  his  call. 
A  visible  spirit-light  incloses  all. 
The  very  birds  electric  mantles  wear. 
Like  winged  souls  they  float  amid  the  air, 
Warbling  their  love-songs  in  harmonious  tune. 
The  very  air  with  floral  wealth  is  strewn. 

There  are  electric  flowers 
That  ope  their  golden  cups  for  heavenly  showers  ; 

That  fill  with  spirit-rain, 
Incline  their  chalices,  and  pour  again 
The  living  sweetness  to  the  lower  plain. 

There  are  flowers  like  urns  in  the  ether  clear ; 
The  birds  in  their  hearts  as  in  light  disappear, 
And  the  white,  continuous  stalks  of  these 
Are  spirals  of  light  that  arise  from  the  trees 
Of  the  lower  space.     They  are  rooted  there, 
But  their  life  is  drawn  from  the  upper  air ; 
And  all  the  rich  sky  is  a  garden  of  bloom. 

I  sink  as  I  gaze  in  a  death-like  swoon, 
And  my  thoughts  all  sleep,  and  the  sense  of  sight 
Grows  dark,  overcome  by  excess  of  light. 


84  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

I  wake  from  my  sleep  in  a  tapestried  room, 
And  the  living  hues  of  the  upper  sky 
Flash  out  and  each  light  is  a  melody  ; 

And  the  music  and  the  burning 

In  my  heart  creates  a  yearning 

To  grow  beautiful  and  wise 

Like  a  spirit  of  the  skies. 
My  brain  to  a  globe  of  light  seems  turning ; 
The  blood  in  my  veins 
Thrills  with  music-strains  : 
The  harmonic  sensations  of  eye  and  ear, 

From  my  former  frame  forth  come, 
And  1  drink  in  sound  through  a  golden  sphere, 

And  I  see  through  a  silver  dome. 
And  the  dome  of  silver  wherethrough  I  see 

Is  the  eyes'  interior  lense  ;  ,  • 

And  the  sphere  that  brings  all  sweet  sound  to  me 

Is  the  ears'  more  inward  sense. 

And  I  have  not  changed, 

For  my  heart  remains, 
And  my  mind  is  still  the  same  ; 

But  my  heart  beats  on 

With  music-strains, 
And  my  mind  is  a  harp  of  flame. 

And  my  hands  look  strange, 
For  the  nerves  are  fire, 


STARRY      HEAVEN.  85 

And  the  surface  shines  like  the  sun, 
And  the  pulse  vibrates 
Like  a  spirit-lyre, 

And  the  fingers  every  one 
Are  each  with  a  separate  sense  of  feeling 
Endued ;  and  through  each  to  my  heart  is  stealing 
A  separate  touch  of  Divine  sensation. 
This  change  is  not  death,  but  a  new  creation. 
My  feet  are  like  rubies  commingled  with  pearls  ; 
My  head  is  all  covered  with  flower-like  curls, 
Whose  threads  are  all  spirals  of  golden  light. 
In  a  crystal  glass  I  beheld  the  sight — 
I  am  in  this  form,  but  it  is  not  me. 
"  Thus  thou  shalt  yet  both  seem  and  be," 
A  Spirit  unseen  through  the  silence  speaks. 
My  heart  the  charmed  quiet  within  me  breaks, 
And  I  hear  my  heart  with  an  audible  voice 
Speak  in  my  bosom  and  say,  "  Rejoice." 


Man  on  the  planet  Earth  as  yet  has  never 
His  own  great  nature  felt  or  understood. 

Joy,  joy  to  thee,  oh,  Man !  the  Father  Giver 
Shall  yet  again  pronounce  thee  "  very  good." 

And  the  Harmonic  Man  shall  walk  the  earth 
As  angels  walk  the  pavement  of  the  sky, 


AN     EPIC     OF     TUB 

Revealing,  human,  through  immortal  birth, 
The  Great  Creator's  seven-fold  harmony. 

Then  the  ear  shall  drink  in  pleasure 

From  the  everlasting  hymn  ; 
And  the  voice  repeat  the  measure 

Of  the  Song  of  Seraphim  ; 

And  the  lips  shall  feast  on  gladness, 
And  the  heart  shall  drink  of  love, 

And  the  mind  shall  rise  from  sadness 
Like  a  white  immortal  dove. 

Man  shall  float  on  seraph  pinions 

To  the  Paradise  above — 
Through  the  far  on  high  dominions 

Of  the  stars  in  rapture  rove ; 

From  the  sun  to  where  its  heaven 
The  wide  system  circumspheres, 

Growing  fair,  in  form  elysian, 

Through  the  bright,  eternal  years. 


CHRIST,  in  externals,  was  the  revelation 
Of  the  harmonic  man. 


STARRYHEAVEN.  87 

Ere  long  on  Earth  shall  rise  a  Christ-like  Nation  ; 

Heaven  opened — then  began 
The  glorious  morning  of  the  consummation 

Of  God's  eternal  plan. 

The  outward  with  the  inward  form  intwining 

Shall,  Christ-like,  walk  the  earth. 
Great-thoughted  wisdoms  from  that  form  outshining 

Like  stars  expanded  forth, 
And  with  the  elements  externe  combining, 

Shall  give  them  spirit-birth. 

Man,  clothed  with  immortality,  revealing 

Divine  affections  in  divinest  deeds, 
Celestial  pure  in  life,  in  thought  and  feeling, 

Shall  rise  at  last  above  all  outward  needs, 
And  hear  the  immortal  trumpet  loudly  pealing, 

And  rise  and  dwell  amid  the  elysian  meads 
Of  the  serene  abode  of  Angels  blessed. 
Then  man,  star-eyed,  sun-featured,  golden-tressed, 

From  heaven's  dear  lap  outborn, 
In  Immortality's  white  arms  caressed, 

Shall  win  a  glorious  form, 

Like  that  wherein  the  SAVIOR  rose  to  heaven — • 
His  sorrows  all  effaced — his  sins  forgiven. 

In  form  external  he  shall  glow 


AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

With  love  undying  ;  then  shall  flow 
Heaven  through  his  form  into  the  Earth  below. 

The  dust  beneath  his  feet  shall  bloom,  outwroughl 

In  floral  pictures  of  immortal  thought ; 

And  where  the  Arctic  snows 

Vail  the  cold  North — the  orange  and  the  row, 

The  pomegranate  and  the  vine, 

The  oleander  and  the  myrtle,  twine. 


From  this  harmonic  stand-point  Truth  inshines 
Upon  my  intellect  in  its  own  light. 
Man's  intellect  on  Earth  is  vailed  in  night, 

But  when  God's  mighty  Spirit  recombines 
And  quickens  all  the  mental  faculties, 
Again  man's  reason  glorious  shall  arise, 
In  harmony  with  sun  and  moon  and  stars. 
His  thoughts,  like  engines  drawing  freighted  cars, 
Shall  circle  the  great  railway  of  the  skies, 

And  flame-lipped  melodies 
Shall  sing  their  choral  strain  his  breast  within. 
God  shall  destroy  the  dissonance  of  sin, 
And  sin  itself — the  discord  of  Mankind. 

God's  thoughts  of  love,  like  steamships  filled  with  food 
Of  life  for  Earth's  despairing  brotherhood, 


STARRY      HEAVEN.  89 

Already  touch  the  shallows ;  and  ere  long 
Immortal  mariners,  with  angel-song, 
Shall  land,  all  visible,  in  eager  haste, 
Outreaching  heavenly  fruit  for  mortal  taste. 

Great  caravans,  that  bear  all  precious  things 
Of  Love  and  Wisdom,  every  moment  brings 
Nearer  to  Earth,  and  in  the  streets 
Shall  soon  appear,  laden  with  living  sweets. 
And  through  blue  heaven  the  spiritual  fleets, 
With  radiant  streaming  flag  and  silver  sail 
Shall  come  to  Earth,  blown  by  the  morning  gale. 

All  the  old  graveyards  shall  be  clothed  in  light, 
And  spread  with  silver  carpets,  and  thereon 
The  dearly  loved  ones,  who  from  sight  have  gone, 

Shall  sit  like  gods,  throned  on  the  dust  below. 

Lone  travelers,  night  bound,  hurrying  to  and  fro 
Shall  see  bright  mansions,  built  of  alabaster, 

Standing  in  vacant  lots, 

Each  with  an  angel-master 
Standing  without  and  mortals  beckoning  in, 
Saying,  "  The  marriage-feast  will  soon  begin." 

In  lone,  deserted  spots 
Where  murders  "foul  have  been  committed — where 


90  ANEPICOFTHE 

Dark,  ghastly  terrors  haunt  the  thickened  air, 
And  the  owl  hoots,  and  the  bat  wheels  around 
The  festering  circle  of  the  haunted  ground, 
Voices  of  angels,  singing  holy  psalms 
And  scattering  incense  of  immortal  balms, 
Shall  sanctify  to  love  and  peace  the  spot, 
And  all  the  dark  disaster  be  forgot. 

In  lowly  cots  where  poor  men  dwell 
White  angel-hands  shall  spread  the  generous  board 

The  maniac,  in  his  cell, 

Shall  wake,  with  heavenly  influence  gently  poured 
Through  the  parched  sands  of  his  discordant  form. 
The  booming  peals  of  the  dread  thunder-storm 
Of  madness,  and  the  light'ning  bolts  that  strike 

His  quivering  heart,  be  ended,  like 
The  end  of  death — in  life  and  joy  serene — 
And  Love  and  Wisdom  sit  like  king  and  queen 
In  the  fair  palace-chamber  God  hath  built. 
The  dungeons,  that  Mankind  hath  reared  in  guilt, 
Shah1  open  widely,  and  the  angel-train 
Smite  from  each  fettered  limb  the  iron  chain. 


"  When  the  Perfect  Man  is  come 
Earth  and  Heaven  shall  be  his  home  ; 


STARRYHEAVEN.  91 

In  alternate  periods  he 
In  them  both  shall  seem  and  be. 
Heaven  by  night  and  earth  by  day, 
Shall  behold  his  wonder-way. 

"  With  material  senses  fine 
He  shall  dwell  in  space  and  time, 
And  shall  be  a  separate  part 
Of  Great  Nature's  mother-heart. 
In  his  veins  the  sun  shall  glow, 
In  his  pulse  the  earth-life  flow. 
Earth  itself  in  contact  sweet 
Thrill  with  life  his  rapid  feet. 

"  Flower,  and  gem,  and  bird,  and  tree, 
Shall  become  Society. 
All  that  lives  and  all  that  feels 
Utter  to  his  heart  appeals, 
Speaking  in  a  separate  tongue, 
Uttering  wisdom  ever  young. 

"  His  great  sympathy  shall  flow 
Through  all  forms  of  life  below  ; 
Flowers  and  birds  shall  talk  for  him, 
And  the  stars  that  overswim 
Through  their  heaven-revealing  eyes 
Utter  speech  of  Paradise. 


92  AX    EFIC     OF     THE 

-  Largely  gifted,  largely  ««*, 
Of  the  irorid  and  sky  possessed, 
He  shall  be  great  Nature's  heir— 
Lord  of  earth  and  sea  and  air. 
Like  a  benediction  dwell, 
Doing  all  thing*  wise  and  welL 

«  Lore  and  Wisdom  shall  impart 
To  hi*  speech  a  natural  art; 
Clothing  all  his  thoughts  with  grace 
Shining,  radiant,  through  his  face. 
Like  the  dew-drop  be  shall  rise 
To  th«  upper  harmonies, 

•  Fairer  he  than  Adam  old. 
Earth  shall  be  his  Eden-fold. 
Waking  life  all  ecstasy. 
When  he  sleeps,  his  spirit  free, 
RWB*  Jh>«  bboofer  form, 
.Shall  anticipate  the  morn. 
Rising  from  the  body's  bare 

Through  the  silent  gates  of  sleep, 
He  the  night  shall  oreiieap, 
Finding  daylight  in  the  stars. 

"  He  »haH  see  that  upper  fane 

Where  the  crowned  Archangels  reign — 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  93 

Mingle  with  transfigured  throngs, 
Sing  their  high,  seraphic  songs ; 
Be  himself  an  angel  strong, 
Form  of  art  and  soul  of  song  ; 
Be  himself  the  king  of  time, 
Lord  of  every  spirit-clime. 

"  Drink  their  gladness,  eat  their  truth, 
Wear  a  form  of  endless  youth, 
To  celestial  Edens  led, 
Find  in  heaven  a  marriage-bed. 
There  his  inward  life  renew : 
Hence  descending  through  the  blue, 
Reappear  on  earth  and  shine, 
Clothed  upon  with  light  divine. 

"  There  shall  be  no  sickness  then ; 
Health  shall  weave  her  anadem  ; 
Wisest  Wisdom  walk  the  streets, 
Temperance  govern  festal  sweets, 
Wit  and  Mirth  the  banquet  crown, 
Plenty  reign  in  every  town. 

"  Sinless  Beauty  through  the  dance, 
Glide  with  heavenly  countenance ; 
Music  fall  from  heaven  like  rain, 
Birth  be  free  from  Mother-pain ; 


94  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Children  with  the  angels  talk, 
\ngels  with  the  young  men  walk, 
Youths  grow  mild  and  maidens  wise 
From  the  Eternal  Mysteries. 

"  Earth  that  now  in  wide  extremes 
Fever  flushed  or  frozen  seems, 
Like  the  human  soul  shall  be 
Modulated  harmony !" 

Thus  I  hear  an  Orphic  Sage, 
Reading  from  a  lettered  page. 
Now  he  pauses,  shuts  the  book, 
Rises  with  benignant  look, 
While  I  listen  with  surprise 
To  the  wisdom  of  the  skies. 

"  In  this  Planet  calm  and  holy, 
Wasting  care  and  melancholy 
Are  forgotten  things  that  lie 
Deeper  far  than  memory, 
With  the  unknown  forms  of  thought 
Never  to  experience  brought. 

0 

"  All  men  here  are  inly  wise, 
All  our  thoughts  are  harmonies, 
Breathed  from  Love's  deep,  hidden  heart. 


STARR  YHLiiVEN.  05 

Life  prevaileth  where  thou  art 
O'er  all  forms  of  death  and  pain — 
Here  immortal  spirits  reign. 

"  Drink  the  cup  I  bring  to  thee  ; 
All  unnerved  thy  soul  will  be, 
But  thy  waking  glorious." 
He  extends  a  luminous 
Cup  of  crimson,  and  I  drink. 
Now  my  drowsy  eyelids  wink — 
Sleep  overcomes.     Existence  seems 
To  aspire  and  ends  in  dreams. 


No  man  who  sinks  to  sleep  at  night 
Knows  what  his  dreams  shall  be  ; 

No  man  can  know  what  wonder-sight 
His  inner  eye  shall  see. 

No  man  who  leaves  the  outward  shape 
Knows  what  sweet  friend  his  hand  shall  take  : 
What  soft  white  breast,  what  radiant  arms 
Shall  fold  him  in  celestial  charms. 

And  even  so  I  sank  to  sleep, 
Like  a  pale  diver  through  the  deep  ; 
But  wake  where  all  around  expand 
The  palaces  of  Wonder  Land. 


96  AN     EPIC     OK     THE 


fint. 


SCENE. — An  Imperial  City,  north  of  the  Equatorial  Line  upon  the 
Planet  Jupiter. 

TEN  thousand  radiant  streets  like  rays  converge 

In  a  vast  temple  like  a  rising  sun. 
Each  street  is  lined  with  palaces  that  merge 

In  living  groves.     Harmonious  flows  on 
Through  every  street  a  stream  of  spotless  white. 
Arches,  each  like  a  single  chrysolite 
Or  a  curved  ruby,  or  a  sapphire  stone, 
Over  the  broad  and  shining  stream  are  thrown. 
On  these  clear  streams  float  gondolas, — more  large 
And  sumptuous  than  Cleopatra's  barge, 
Or  even  the  grandest  steamship  on  the  tides 
Of  the  Atlantic  Sea,  that  stately  glides, — 
Whose  sails  are  silken,  and  whose  sides  are  blue. 
Each  seems  to  glide  the  silver  water  through 
By  some  interior  instrument  moved  on. 
Immortal  Men,  each  one  the  paragon 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  97 

Of  all  perfection,  throng  the  shining  streets. 
Each  human  form  the  rapid  traveler  meets 
Moves  like  the  king  of  some  enchanted  realm. 
The  forms  I  see  all  language  overwhelm. 
Oh,  for  the  gift  of  Wisdom  to  reveal 
The  glory-forms  I  see,  the  harmonies  I  feel! 

The  streets  that  I  behold 
Are  formed  of  sculptured,  amethystine  gold ; 
The  palaces  are  built  of  burning  gems  ; 
I  see  great  trees  that  rise  from  living  stems 

Of  jasper.     Overhead 

A  thousand  feet  their  fan-like  limbs  are  spread, 
Forming  an  endless  shade — a  shade  of  light — 
For  the  green  leaves  are  luminous  to  my  sight. 
With  an  alternate  motion  every  tree 
External  and  immortal  seems  to  be. 
They  have  a  double  life  and  dual  form  ; 
The  limbs  all  palpitate  alive  and  warm, 
As  if  sensation  thrilled  in  all  their  veins  ; 

From  every  pore  exhales 

Immortal  music-strains, 
And  dewy  fragrance  of  Arabian  gales. 

'Tis  twilight  where  I  stand.     The  glorious  -East, 
Like  a  fair  palace  for  the  wedding  feast 
Of  some  high  Potentate  adorned,  is  bright 
5 


98  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

With  crimson  banners  on  each  golden  height. 
The  Lord  of  Day  o'ersteps  the  horizon. 
Hark  !    All  the  city  wakes  at  once  :  I  hear 
Triumphant  melodies.     My  spirit-ear 
Drinks  in  immortal  rapture,  and  I  thrill 
In  every  pulse.     This  music  nerves  my  will. 

I  wake  like  young  Apollo.     I  am  made 
A  winged  form  of  music,  light-arrayed. 
In  this  great  city,  when  the  morning  gates 
Are  opened,  millions  of  Immortal  Fates, 
Destinies,  Glories,  Kingly  Adorations, 
Ascended  Spirits  of  ancestral  Nations 
Form  a  great  amphitheater  above 
The  holy  fane — The  City  of  God's  Love  ! 

I  see  an  amphitheater  of  souls. 

The  glory-sphere  encircling  them  outrolls, 

Forming  a  lesser  sky — 

A  crimson  canopy 
Above  the  vast,  imperial  domain. 
Here  the  Ancestral  Spirits  wisely  reign 
Among  their  sons  and  daughters  yet  abiding 
In  outward  shape,  and  on  their  earth  residing 

Matter  and  spirit  here  are  interwed. 
Angels  the  amber  fields  of  ether  tread. 


STARRY     HEATEX.  OC 

And  men  below  wear  such  harmonious  shapes, 
That  each  at  will  the  lower  earth  forsakes, 
And  walks  amid  the  atmosphere,  and  meets 
Father  and  mother  in  the  heavenly  streets, 
That  have  their  center  in  the  Spirits'  Heaven, 
And  wind  to  earth  through  the  bright  spiral  seven 

Solid,  electric  chariots  in  the  air 

Appear,  each  bearing  an  immortal  pair — 

Father  and  mother  of  some  happy  band 

Dwelling  below  in  that  Enchanted  Land. 

They  come  when  morning  opes  her  gates,  and  bring 

Gifts  to  their  children  from  the  Lord,  their  King. 

Each  man  below  communion  holds  with  those 

Who  dwell  on  high  where  God's  own  presence  glows ; 

Each  man  above  is  the  inspiring  gnide, 

Of  one  below,  and  each  is  glorified 

Through  mutual  interchange. 

This  doctrine  to 

The  dark  earth  seemeth  strange,  and  yet  'tis  true. 
Angels  their  endless  perfectness  renew 
Only  in  laboring  for  the  world  below. 
Their  added  labors  added  loves  bestow  ; 
Each  impartation  of  celestial  bliss 
Confers  a  joy,  that,  like  a  lover's  kiss, 
Thrills  on  the  lips  and  stirs  the  bosom-angel 
With  new-born  joy.     Each  soul  is  an  Evangel 


100  "AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

To  kindred  spirits  of  inferior  grade. 

Each  angel-friend,  in  blessedness  arrayed, 

Is  an  immortal  gospel,  ever  teaching, 

And  wisdom-spheres  of  blessedness  outreaching, 

And  lifting  up  the  lowly  by  degrees 

Till  they  ascend  into  the  ecstasies 

Of  a  divine  existence. 

I  am  told 

That  could  a  high  archangel's  heart  grow  cold, 
His  wisdom  would  avail  him  not,  but  he 
Would  sink  into  a  dark  vacuity — 
A  hollow  shell  of  being,  and  no  more 
Be  visible  on  Love's  illustrious  shore. 

Heart  thrills  to  heart  through  all  the  wide  domain 

Of  heavenly  life.     All  angels  form  a  chain 

That  in  God's  burning  throne  begins  and  winds 

Down  to  the  lowest  plane  of  earthly  minds  ; 

And  only  as  each  lifts  the  lower  friend 

Can  each  into  superior  joy  ascend  : 

Heaven  is  the  Poetry  of  Love.     To  bless, 

To  act  for  others  in  forgetfulness 

Of  separate  self  is  every  angel's  bliss  : 

Angelic  life,  in  heaven,  consists  in  this. 

I  see  it  realized  in  this  bright  scene. 
Angels  of  lofty  and  benignant  mien, 


STARRT     HEAVEN.  101 

Ten  thousand  thousand  all  as  one,  divine 
Employment  find,  in  outer  space  and  time. 
Their  lofty  inspirations  they  infuse 
In  man  below :  outshaping  into  use 
Each  precious  gift  of  Wisdom  they  bestow. 
Immortal  germs  the  angel-sowers  sow, 
Scattering  in  every  mind  and  heart  the  seeds 
Of  truth  and  love,  that  ripen  into  deeds. 

Celestial  inspirations  here  prevail. 
Their  pure  and  grand  interiors  never  fail 

To  flow  as  quickening  powers 

Through  men  below ;  all  these  bright  morning  hours 
The  angel-watchers  visit  their  sweet  charge — 
The  mind,  the  heart,  the  faculties  enlarge, 
Strengthen  the  powers,  refine  the  outer  form. 
And  all  the  inner  intellect  inform. 

There  are  Sculptors  here  who  fashion 

Gem-like  marbles  in  the  shape 
Of  each  high  and  generous  passion 

For  their  Art's  ennobling  sake  : 

And  their  hands  that  touch  the  marble 

Tinge  the  veins  with  light  divine, 
Till  the  lips  half  seem  to  warble, 

And  the  eyes  with  life  to  shine. 


102  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

There  are  Painters  here  who  picture 
Forms  of  Beauty  on  the  walls, 

Till  they  trace  an  angel-scripture 
Through  the  glory-tinted  halls. 

There  are  Poets  here  who  whisper, 

And  their  words  are  like  the  stars- 
Like  the  silver  light  of  Hesper, 
Or  the  ruby  flame  of  Mars 

There  are  Harmonists  whose  fingers, 

From  the  pulses  of  the  air, 
Call  out  melody  that  lingers 

All  along  the  golden  stair 

Of  the  spiral  that  ascendeth 

To  the  Paradise  on  high, 
And  arising  there  inblendeth 

With  the  music  of  the  sky. 

Dark  Earth  shall  be  like  this ;  where  now  expand? 
The  drear  Sahara's  barren  waate  of  sands, 
A  glorious  Nation,  called  the  "  Morning  Race," 
Shall  build  their  State. 

I  see  an  Angel's  face, 

Rose-veined,  sun-tinted,  white  as  any  pearl ; 
I  see  her  form  :  'tis  a  sweet  Angel-girl, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  103 

Vailed  in  a  robe  that  like  the  golden  fleece 

Of  sheep  that  pasture  in  the  sun,  folds  her 

As  in  a  floating  mist  of  gossamer. 

Fair  as  the  Prophet's  vision  of  sweet  Peace, 

From  the  pure  heaven-life,  beautiful  outshining, 

She  stands — and  now  her  graceful  head  inclining, 

And  preluding  upon  an  instrument 

Whose  chords  are  silver-fire  of  light,  o'erbent 

By  sculptured  wreaths  of  crysopras,  she  sings, 

And  her  heart  vibrates,  chording  with  the  strings 

Of  that  sweet  instrument  that  seems  to  be 

Endued  itself  with  immortality. 

"  Yes,  golden  bands, 

Thy  desert  sands, 
Oh,  Earth,  shall  interfuse, 

And  into  thee 

From  heaven  shall  be 
Inpoured  celestial  dews 

"  Of  amber  light 

And  liquid  flame, 
And  these  in  turn  shall  be 

Cups  lifted  for 

The  diamond  rain 
Of  immortality. 


104  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

"  The  sands  shall  glow 

All  rosy  white 
And  streams  of  silver  dew 

From  out  the  land 

Of  morning  light 
Shall  flow  thy  heart  into. 

"  Like  a  charmed  maid 

That  sleep  o'ercame, 
Of  old  thy  desert  lies  ; 

But  she  shall  wake 

To  life  again, 
Like  Eve  in  Paradise  ; 

"  And  sit  upon 

An  ivory  throne, 
While  all  celestial  flowers, 

By  angels  thrown 

Through  heaven's  blue  dome, 
Become  terrestrial  bowers. 

"  The  brindled  lion 

Then  shall  be 
Mild  as  the  mourning  dove, 

And  the  coiled  serpent 

Splendidly 
Become  a  winged  love. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  105 

Out  from  the  dust 

The  stately  palms 
Shall  lift  their  feathered  plumes, 

And  angels  breathe 

Immortal  balm, 
Through  all  thy  covert  glooms. 

"  There  shall  unfold  from  Afric's  breast, 
In  love  and  wisdom  interblest, 
A  youth  and  maiden  who  shall  be 
Emblems  of  Faith  and  Charity — 
The  Eve  and  Adam  of  a  new        $-.^\  ••< 
Immortal  Race.     Thou  shalt  renew 
Again,  oh,  dusky  Land,  the  joy 
Of  thy  most  ancient  ancestry. 
Thy  Golden  Age,  from  heaven  outrolled, 
Shall  bless  with  forms  of  beauteous  mold 
All  the  vast  continent,  transform 
Thy  midnight  to  perennial  morn  ; 
And  beauty's  blushing  rose  again 
Unfold,  and  thrill  with  honey  dew 
Love's  coral  lips,  and,  splendidly, 
Haloes  thy  pure  high  brow  be-gem, 
Lit  by  the  fire  of  Deity." 


Each  race  of  men  on  our  dark  Earth  possesses 
5* 


106  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

A  kindred  race  of  Angels  who  abide 

In  realms  of  Higher  Life.     The  glowing  tide 

Of  inspiration  flows  and  life-impresses 
Each  National  Existence.     Every  tribe 

Is  thereby  life-lit  through  a  glorified 
Race  of  Angelic  Spirits  dwelling  far 
From  outward  vision  on  some  nobler  star. 


As  sheep  from  snowy  Ararat 
Borne  to  the  tropics,  change  their  white  to  black, 
So  the  bright  spirit-essence,  fair  and  white, 
Through  outward  form  descending  into  sight, 
Seems  dark  as  ebony  ;  but  when  once  more 
Perfect  exteriors,  quickened  from  the  core 
With  love  and  wisdom,  shall  be  born  for  them, 
Where  now  resounds  the  slaver's  curse,  the  chain 
The  scourge,  the  fetters  for  the  feet  and  hands," 
Shall  pass  away.     Then  shall  thy  radiant  Lands, 
Dear  Africa,  all  present  lands  transcend  ; 

Through  thy  dark  face  the  immortal  splendor  shine, 
And  all  thy  families  be  more  than  friends, 

Bound  in  the  rosy  tie  of  Angel-life  divine. 


Angels  shall  dwell  where  now  the  serpent  hides 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  1 07 

In  the  dense  marshes  where  the  Niger  rolls  ; 
Where  now  the  spotted  tiger  fierce  abides, 

Shall  dwell  bright  families,  whose  inner  souls 
Are  angel-melodies,  insphered  in  form 
And  the  exterior  shape,  in  likeness  born, 
Fair  as  young  Mozart,  musical  like  him, 
Shall,  in  the  cradle,  chant  with  cherubim. 


There  is  a  Higher  Law  from  heaven  descending ; 

It  hath  no  stain,  no  flaw — all  men  befriending 

It  lifts  the  lowly  and  abases  none. 

All  families  of  earth  shall  yet  become, 

Like  flowers  in  one  garden,  beautified 

From  One  Pure  Source.     The  vain,  the  impious  prid< 

Of  color,  caste,  and  fashion,  now  adored, 

Then  perish,  by  no  angel-heart  deplored  : 

And  North  and  South  like  twin-born  children  rest, 

Drinking  sweet  life  from  one  pure  Mother's  breast. 


Then  the  Caucasian  Race 
The  Indian  shall  embrace, 
And  the  old  lines  of  Gentile  and  of  Jew 
God's  father-hand  efface  : 


108  ANEPICOFTHE 

His  mighty  heart  in  gladness  beating  through 
The  millioned  veins  of  our  humanity, 
Shall  make  all  nations  equal,  wise  and  free. 

Then  the  dark  Battle-ship,  that  floating  devil 

Through  whose  loud  cannon  speaks  demonic  Evil, 

As  Angels  speak  through  media — but  inverse — 

Then  the  fell  Slave-ship,  like  a  muffled  hearse, 

Bearing  the  living-dead  across  the  waters, 

Whose  foul,  black  hold  is  hell,  where  sons  and  daughters 

Of  God  Most  High  in  stifling  agony, 

Choked  up  in  living  channels,  putrefy 

And  feel  the  flesh  decaying  from  the  bones, 

While  overhead,  cold  as  the  church-yard  stones, 

The  felon-trader  sits  and  calculates 

The  price  of  blood,  and  coolly  speculates 

How  much  God's  Image,  clothed  in  sable  skin, 

Will  fetch  some  Cuban  sugar-house  within, 

Shall  sink  into  Oblivion's  unknown  wave. 

Oh,  Earth,  the  Lord  of  Life  is  strong  to  save, 
And  the  still  whispers  of  the  Eternal  Power, 
Shall  fall  on  thee,  as  falls  a  southern  shower, 
When  May  comes  o'er  the  mountains  with  bright  feet 

Then  Heaven  and  Earth  shall  meet, 
As  a  sweet  Mother  o'er  her  infant  bends, 
While  the  child's  anguish  on  her  bosom  ends 


STARRY     HEAVEN. 


109 


Dart 


SCENE.  —  An  Electro-spiritual  Region  above  the  Planet  Jupiter, 
and  intermediate  between  the  Surface  of  the  Planet  and  the 
Spiritual  Orb  in  which  it  is  inclosed. 

"  RISE,  Brother,  rise  !" 

That  Angel-voice  calls  from  the  crimson  skies. 
"  There  are  twelve  great  nations  of  Angel  Men, 
Each  crowned  with  a  separate  diadem, 
Each  garmented  with  different  hues,  each  wrought 
After  a  separate  archetypal  thought 

Of  the  Creative  Mind, 

And  they  have  their  homes  in  the  planet  vast. 
The  Future  is  theirs,  and  the  mighty  Past 
No  less  than  the  present  time,  for  they 
Have  minds  that  are  filled  with  immortal  day. 

"  Rise,  Brother,  rise  !" 
I  am  borne  through  a  spiral 
That  upward  winds  with  an  inward  gyral  ; 


110  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

I  am  borne,  as  an  angel  lifts  a  prayer 

From  a  worshiping  saint  through  the  shining  air. 

I  am  made  like  a  spirit  in  brain  and  heart ; 

Like  a  fiery  arrow  through  space  I  dart ; 

And  I  see  the  glorious  world  below, 

In  the  rich,  red  sunrise  brighten  and  glow. 

My  thoughts  are  all  vastness,  my  pulses  thrill, 

And  I  rise  on  the  wings  of  the  inner  will. 

Through  the  will  and  its  power  I  rise  and  soar 

And  alight  at  last  on  a  Middle  Shore, 

A  sphere  of  aromas,  gold,  crimson,  and  green, 

A.  world  of  Electrical  Forms  between 

A  world  like  heaven  below,  and  on  high 

A  heaven  like  a  world,  outrolled  in  the  sky. 

I  stand  on  this  intermediate  sphere, 

And  with  mediate  senses  feel,  see,  and  hear, 

There  is  an  intermediate  degree, 
Dividing  time  from  its  eternity ; 
A  middle  world  that,  like  a  silver  urn, 
Is  filled  with  living  essences  that  burn 
With  spirit-fire — assume  electric  shape, 
And  an  electric  life  and  glory  take, 
And  rest  awhile,  in  life  unfolding  o'er 
A  music  ocean,  and  a  music  shore 
Of  atoms,  each  a  music-note  in-set 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  Ill 

In  living  thought,  forming  a  coronet 
Of  beauty  on  the  Planet's  forehead  fair. 

Thin,  moonlit  forms  appear 

With  robes  of  gossamer, 
Tinted  with  all  the  harmonies  of  light, 
So  lovely  that  they  shrink  from  their  own  sight, 
Like  some  pure  beauty  who  the  first  time  sees 
Her  glowing  face  mirrored  in  crystal  seas. 

The  souls  of  all  the  flowers, 
Hereafter  to  adorn  material  bowers, 
Here  sparkle,  burn  like  lamps,  outbreathing  on 
The  air  sweet  fragrance ;  and  a  golden  zone, 
A  vesture  of  electric  light,  clothes  each 

Like  a  pure  vail  of  silver  lace 

That  hides  a  young  bride's  rosy  face 

Upon  her  marriage  night. 

And  the  spirits  of  the  flowers 

Are  like  fairies,  and  they  preach 
Many  parables  of  wisdom 

In  a  half-embodied  speech, 
From  the  bosom-life  outbreathing, 

Like  the  faint,  half-uttered  "  Yes" 
Of  a  maiden  fair,  outvvreathing 

Her  deep  being's  tenderness, 
When  the  bashful  lover  kneeling, 

Looking  up  in  her  dear  eyes, 


112  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Heaxs  the  murmured  accent  stealing, 
Like  a  voice  from  Paradise. 

This  mystic  truth  but  few  will  comprehend  ; 
Yet  flowers,  as  well  as  we,  have  souls,  dear  friend. 
They  are  unconscious  Loves, — whose  breath  so  sweet, 
Whose  fragrant  life,  that  crushed  beneath  the  feet, 

Ascending  in  rich  balms, 

Like  pure,  melodious  psalms, 
Blesses  the  injurer, — in  their  rich  excess 
Picture  some  element  of  loveliness 
Within  the  human  bosom.     Yet  all  flowers 
Outpoured  through  this  pure  world  of  middle  sky, 

Which  the  angelic  Sowers 
Outscatter  from  their  heavenly  harmony, 
Are  but  far-distant  emblems, 
Are  but  the  shadow  semblance, 
Of  that  great  world  of  living  ecstasy, 
That  garden  of  pure,  innermost  affection, 
That  sacred  orb  of  limitless  perfection, 
That  spiritual  sphere  of  melody, 
That  starry  heaven  of  pure,  impassioned  feeling, 
That  light-dome  of  God's  infinite  revealing, 
In  one  pure  Spirit,  in  yon  realm  on  high. 

All  things  in  heavens  and  planets  pure  are  symbols 
Of  forms  of  love  and  truth  within  the  breast ; 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  113 

And  though  tne  type  its  antetype  resembles, 
Yet  still  the  form  within  the  soul  is  best. 

All  things  that  God  hath  made  are  grand  and  glorious 
According  to  the  meanings  they  suggest. 

White-thoughted  Spirits,  o'er  decay  victorious, 
Risen  through  perfect  love  into  their  rest 

Of  weariless  existence,  in  the  golden 

Spheres  of  eternity  thou  seest  afar, 
By  thy  interior  sense  of  sight  beholden, 

Teach  the  great  truth — all  living  things  that  are 

Form  outward  shadows  of  a  pure  ideal 

Fashioned  from  heaven  within  man's  inner  thought. 
Man  is  himself  the  actual  and  real, 

And  Nature  but  a  picture-world,   outwrought 

To  image  forth  in  space  the  tones  and  numbers 
Of  loves  and  wisdoms  that  within  him  lie. 

The  worlds  and  spheres  are  but  the  ante-chambers. 
But  Man  the  temple  of  Divinity. 

For  ends  of  use  to  man  were  ail  created ; 

All  heavens  and  earths  are  chords  in  one  bright  lyre, 
Which  Man  himself,  the  highly,  nobly  fated, 

Shall  sweep  with  fingers  of  harmonic  fire. 


114  AX     EPIC     OF     THE 

Earth,  air,  and  ocean,  planets  high  in  ether, 
Suns  and  sun-heavens  are  but  the  mighty  keys 

In  one  great  organ.     Man  himself  forever 
Controls  with  spirit-will  their  harmonies. 

Sayest  thou,  oh,  mortal  Man,  these  are  but  fancies  ? 

Sayest  thou  the  greater  subjugates  the  less  ? 
Call'st  thou  our  angel-teachings  bright  romances, 

The  musings  of  a  spirit's  idleness  ? 

Sayest  thou  that  man  we  cheat,  deride,  and  flatter, 
Thus  guileful,  seeking  to  enslave  his  mind  ? 

Say  on  !  but  answer  first,  "  What  end  hath  matter  ? 
Is  it  a  substance  that  doth  spirit  bind  ? 

Was  matter  before  all  ?     Did  matter  make 
God,  men,  and  angels  ?     Is  it  a  great  snake 
Crushing  all  souls  within  its  iron  span  ? 
Did  it  the  worlds,  the  skies,  creation,  plan  ? 
Tossing  out  spheres  like  foam-bells  on  the  sea, 
Throwing  up  water-spouts  of  Deity, 
Speaking  in  language,  weaving  periods,  times, 
Angels,  angelic  heavens,  and  Poet-rhymes, 
Creating  man,  then  making  him  a  Lover  ? 
Is  matter  an  iron  wrench  to  screw  the  cover 
Of  death  upon  a  coffined  universe  ? 
In  one  word,  positive  or  negative  ? 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  115 

Doth  matter  motion  take  or  motion  give  ? 
Make  matter  positive  to  spirit,  then 
God,  heaven,  love,  wisdom,  souls  of  living  men 
Are  the  blind  vassals  of  its  blind  caprice  ; — 
Its  iron  hand  contracts,  and  all  things  cease. 

Carry  thy  faith  to  its  deductions,  thou 

Who  payest  at  Matter's  shrine  thy  fearful  vow, — 

Blind  Worshiper,  adoring  blackest  night. 

Not  so  yon  star-eyed  children  of  the  Light 

Teach  on  their  lofty  thrones. 

They  say  that  heavens  are  domes 
Outrolling  from  the  vastness  of  the  Mind. 
Spirit  is  limitless  and  unconfined. 
It  speaks  and  all  things  are,  and  from  above 
Impermeates  its  own  great  thoughts  with  love. 
Outbreathing  waves  of  life  in  endless  motion, — 
The  spiral  waves  of  one  expanding  ocean, 
Whose  every  drop  contains  more  solar  schemes 
Than  Earth's  astronomers  entranced  in  dreams 
Of  heaven's  immensity  e'er  thought  or  saw, — 
And  all  controlled  by  order,  love,  and  law 

Hast  thou  ever  thought,  oh,  mortal  Man, 
That  the  Sun  itself  in  a  thought  began  ? 
And  that  Thoughts  are  the  inner  Suns  that  dwell 
Insphered  as  minds  in  each  burning  shell  ? 


116  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Hast  thou  ever  thought  how  the  Light  forth-came  ? 
I'll  tell  thee— 

God  breathed,  and  a  sphere  of  flame 
Outrolled  and  enwrapt  the  Universe. 
Each  ray  of  light  was  a  thought  in  verse 
From  the  Poet  Heart  of  our  God  outsung. 

Didst  thou  ever  think  of  the  human  tongue, — 

How  still  in  itself,  yet  speaking  the  air 

Into  music  of  wisdom  melodious  and  rare  ? 

Look  at  it ;  think  of  it.     Thy  tongue  can  tell 

Great  truths,  yet  itself  like  the  tongue  of  a  bell ; 

It  thinketh  not,  and  it  hath  no  voice, 

Yet  its  golden  tones  bid  the  world  rejoice. 

All  matter  is  God's  tongue  ! 
Out  from  its  motion  God's  thoughts  are  sung,     - 
And  the  realms  of  space  are  the  octave  bars, 
And  the  music-notes  are  the  suns  and  stars. 


There  is  not  a  Poet  in  all  creation 

But  chants  from  an  inward  inspiration ; 

Whether  his  thoughts  be  in  octaves  and  rhymes, 

Or  outroll  into  eras  or  seasons  or  times  ; 

Or  climb  through  the  air  with  their  marble  spires, 

Or  leap  into  space  from  a  thousand  choirs. 

God  is  the  Poet  of  poets,  and  He 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  117 

Out-sings  through  their  verses  the  harmony 

Of  the  one  great  epic  of  Truth  sublime 

He  formed,  ere  space  was,  in  his  heart  divine. 

God  shines,  and  He  moves,  and  He  speaks,  and  He  sings, 

Through  all  harmonious  winged  things. 

They  are  all  the  outbirths  of  living  thought ; 

Each  frailest  flower  is  an  essence  brought 

Down  from  the  dome  of  the  highest  sky, 

Outshining  a  living  entity, 

Whose  pulses  thrill  from  God's  living  Will ; 

It  is  quickened  and  moved  from  the  Deity. 

God  is  in  all  things,  yet  over  all, 
Else  were  creation  a  corpse  and  a  pall. 
God  is  o'er  all,  or  there  is  no  God. 
God  is  in  all,  else  is  all  a  clod. 

There's  an  Infinite  Mind  that  all  mind  inspires  ; 
There's  an  Infinite  Heart  that  man's  bosom  fires  ; 
There's  an  Infinite  Breath  from  the  Infinite  Soul 
Inflowing  through  all  and  beyond  control. 
There's  an  infinite  sphere  in  which  all  things  lie  ; 
It  encircles  all  skies — 'tis  the  parent  sky. 
There's  an  Infinite  Presence  everywhere, 
And  it  beats  like  a  pulse  in  each  globe  of  air. 
There's  an  Infinite  Will  of  an  Infinite  Cause, 
And  it  twines  throughout  Nature  harmonic  laws. 


118  ANEPICOFTHK 


SCENES. — The  Middle  Air  above  the  Planet  Jupiter,  and  the  Im- 
perial City,  called  "  The  City  of  God's  Love." 

UPON  this  orb  are  streams  of  quicksilver. 
Innoxious,  the  white  waves  in  music  stir. 
These  are  the  pulses  of  the  orb,  and  flow 
In  parallels  through  the  vast  plain  below. 

Beneath  my  feet  expands  a  broad  lagoon. 
Six  hundred  islands  in  its  bosom  lie. 

Fair  as  the  crescent  moon 
Whose  silver  bark,  outsailing  silently 
From  sunset  heavens  shines  from  the  level  west, 
I  see  a  silver  bark  glide  o'er  the  breast 
Of  the  rich  waves  of  ether,  where  the  lines 
Of  distant  crimson  mark  the  Spirit  Climes. 

It  is  an  air-drawn  chariot,  lightning  built, 
Its  burnished  sides  are  stars  of  crimson  gilt, 
Inlaid  in  sapphire  splendors.     In  its  keel, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  119 

Shafted  with  light,  appears  a  spiral  wheel, 

Which  turning  rapidly  outrolls  a  stream 

Of  golden  fire  tinged  with  the  lunar  beam. 

'Tis  an  aerial  ship  that  sails  the  sea 

Of  the  still  ether,  moved  by  melody. 

In  it  a  thousand  mariners  appear. 

One  at  the  prow  stands  like  a  gondolier, 

Or  like  Columbus,  when,  with  kindling  glance, 

And  all  the  Future  in  his  countenance, 

He  stood  erect,  leaning  from  out  the  bow 

Of  his  frail  pinnace,  and  the  flag  unfurled 

Of  the  Great  Future  o'er  a  new-found  World. 

From  what  sphered  continent,  oh,  Spirit  wise, 
Com'st  thou  ?    The  heaven-light  in  thy  deathless  eyes, 
Where  was  it  kindled,  in  what  vast  domain  ? 

I  see  above  me  a  great  lightning  tram 

Of  rapid-moving  cars. 

O'er  the  electric  bars 
Of  an  aerial  flame-way  they  rush  on 
Through  the  vast  regions  of  the  atmosphere. 

I  see  a  white-winged  eagle  drawing«near. 
Upon  it  stands  a  radiant  Amazon. 
Around  her  flows  a  mantle  gold  and  blue. 
Her  form  sublime  outshines  the  mantle  through, 


120  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

As  if  all  heaven  were  interfused  a  shape 

Of  stars  and  suns  and  azure  skies  to  make. 

Each  atom  of  her  form  is  like  a  zone 

Of  living,  luminous,  glowing  sapphire  stone 

Holding  within  itself  a  seven-fold  sun. 

The  stars  and  sapphires,  interfused  in  one, 

Garment  that  radiant  Spirit  with  a  form, 

Like  a  blue  sky,  encompassed,  filled  with  morn. 

Yet  'tis  no  Spirit  fierce,  no  type  of  War  ; 
The  soul  of  goodness  shines  from  out  her  breast. 
She  pauses.     From  her  bosom,  their  pure  nest, 
A  thousand  doves  come  flying  toward  me. 
Those  doves,  outborn  from  her  heart's  ecstasy, 
Are  thoughts, — for  here  all  thoughts  appear  as  things. 
They  cluster  round  me  with  their  snow-white  wings, 
Fix  on  my  heart  twin  thousand  loving  eyes, 
And  lift  me  upward  till  I  touch  the  hand 
Of  the  bright  Angel  Woman,  who  appears 
Empress  or  Queen  of  some  vast  Realm  of  Spheres. 

Her  eagle,  like  a  spiritual  throne, 

Moves  at  the  viewless  mandate  of  her  will, 
Rapid  as  light,  and  as  its  dawning  still, 

And  I  move  with  her  through  the  ether.— 
Now 

Toward  the  planet's  breast  our  flight  we  bow 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  121 

A  thousand  miles  below, — 
Toward  that  islanded  lagoon  we  go 

Eastward  I  see  a  million  terraces, 

Rising  in  gradual  slopes,  and  centering  whore 

A  sun-like  temple  on  the  blazoned  air 
Shines,  mountain-high,  through  the  transparent  seas 

Of  the  self-luminous  ether,  and  illumes 
An  undulated  city  which  extends 

A  thousand  miles  of  light  on  every  side. 

Ten  thousand  streets,  like  rays, 
Outglow  from  that  bright  center  ;  through  each  one 
Rivers  of  quicksilver  appear  to  run, 
And  all  the  streets  are  lined  with  palaces 
In  vast,  continuous  lines  extending  on. 
That  central  temple,  like  a  Pantheon, 
All  blended  glories  overwreath. 

Bright  spires, 

Which  typify  the  soul's  divine  desires 
And  wind  in  spirals,  lessening  till  they  end 
In  golden  flames  that  into  ether  blend, 
Are  pinnacles  around  the  mightier  vault. 

Ten  million  statues,  ranged  in  seven-fold  rows, 
Each  one  of  whom  a  golden  trumpet  bknvs, 

Seated  on  sun-like  thrones, 

And  two  and  two,  like  bridegroom  and  like  bride, 
Each  serves  the  use  of  a  Caryatide. 
G 


122  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

A  vast  sun-circle  floats  above  their  heads, 
Lifting  that  vaulted  spherej  whose  glory  sheds 
Divine  effulgence  on  each  statued  face. 
Ten  thousand  thousand  splendor-forms  of  grace 
Are  imaged  in  the  sun-sphere  of  the  dome. 

Above  it,  seated  on  a  diamond  throne, 

Is  one  Transcendent  Image.     There  is  cast 

A  blaze  of  splendor  from  that  Presence  vast, 

Whose  burning  light-beams  play 
O'er  the  great  Pantheon,  like  day  on  day. 

The  throne  He  sits  on,  like  the  morning  star, 
Is  borne  by  sculptured  seraphim.     They  are 
Flame-winged  and  burn,  like  rubies,  with  a  red 
Arterial  splendor.     And  their  wings,  outspread, 

Upbear  a  golden  pediment 
With  silver  and  with  sapphire  flames  inblent. 
The  statue  form  of  WISDOM,  God's  great  Spirit, 
The  Word,  who  doth  the  Universe  inherit, 
Pervading  all  things  and  inspiring  all, 
Is  throned  sublime  upon  that  sun-like  ball. 

The  dome  itself  is  like  the  starry  heaven. 
Prismatic  lusters,  gold  and  white  and  green, 
And  crimson-tinted  like  the  morning  beam, 
And  amethyst  and  purple  and  pale  amber, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  123 

Inveined  with  silver  streams  of  light,  meander, 

Like  streams  of  seven-fold  spheres  through  ether  driven, 

Through  the  clear  vault,  which  like  an  orrery, 

Filled  with  star-systems  of  immensity, 

Crowned  with  the  image-form  of  Truth,  shines  down, 

Lighting  ten  thousand  streets  of  that  great  town 

As  the  sun  lights  the  universe. 

All  time, 

All  sense  of  earth,  and  of  its  shades  of  crime, 
Like  night-clouds  vanish  from  my  memory. 
Gazing  in  awe  and  wonder,  silently, 
Beholding  from  afar  that  temple  vast, 
The  vail  of  sleep  is  o'er  my  spirit  cast. 


124  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 


Jari 


SCENE.  —  An  Inner  Sanctuary  within  the  Imperial  Temple  pre- 
viously described.  During  this  Scene  the  Spirit  is  uplifted  suc- 
cessively into  clairvoyance  of  the  Spiritual  and  Celestial  Heavens. 

I  AM  transported  breathlessly  into 

A  purple  chamber,  fashioned  like  the  heart, 
And  overhead  a  dome  of  starry  blue, 

Out-imaging  Creative  Life  and  Art, 
Shines  down  like  some  vast  Mind.     A  golden  shell 
Surrounds  this  heart-like  Temple.     Tis  a  globe 
Of  gold  and  crimson,  and  its  lower  lobe 
Filled  with  red  waves  which  beat  with  living  motion 
On  the  heart-shrine,  and  thrill  it  with  emotion. 
The  upper  lobe  is  a  bright  canopy. 

All  things  in  heaven  and  earth  grow  visible. 
I  am  the  subject  of  a  master  spell, 
And,  dwelling  in  this  Temple  of  the  Heart, 
My  lips  are  opened  with  a  natural  art. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  125 

Groat  thoughts,  like  silver-footed  Helohim, 
Souls  of  the  Second  Heaven,  around  me  hymn 
Together,  and  my  spirit  inly  burns 
For  God,  and  to  His  wisdom  inly  turns, 
Drawn  by  the  magnet-power  of  Deity. 

A  white-robed  Spirit,  holding  in  one  hand 

A  crimson-blossomed  rod, 
And  in  the  other  a  pure  silver  key, 

Shines  through  a  silver  vail. 

Her  face  is  very  pale. 

Such  perfect  whiteness  man  has  never  seen 
Nor  Saint  beheld  it.     This  is  no  pale  dream, 
No  bodiless  enchantment  of  the  night. 
Her  breath  inspires  me  with  interior  might ; 
I  feel  as  if  the  world  were  all  a  breath, 
And  matter  but  a,  form  of  painted  death. 
The  suns  appear  like  butterflies  or  leaves, 
And  constellations  like  ephemeral  wreaths 
Of  golden  daisies,  in  the  meadows  low  ; 
And  great  Sun-Heavens,  each  one  a  silver  ball 
Around  a  universe,  seem,  one  and  all, 
Like  lily-buds  whose  golden  anthers  are 
Suns,  and  each  petal  a  life-blooming  star. 

'Tis  Mind  alone  that  hath  reality : 

All  forms  of  space  are  seemings  that  depart 


126  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Like  evening  vapors. 

Oh,  Eternity  ! 

Like  a  white  Woman  Archimage  thou  art. 
Peerless  in  beauty  thou  dost  sit  above 
The  rolling  sun-spheres  of  the  universe, 
Chanting  forever  thine  harmonic  verse. 

Suns,  systems,  galaxies,  great  spheres  with  wings 
That  mortal  thought  ne'er  emblemed, — orbs  like  snow, 
Terrestrial  heavens, — from  out  thy  essence  go, 
Like  thoughts  unfolding  from  the  human  brain  ; 
For  thou  art  Wisdom,  and  thy  thoughts  are  things 

Outfashioned  from  thy  love, 
Which  go  from  thee  and  come  to  thee  again. 

Spirit  of  Light !  I  pray  thee  let  me  go. 
Uttering  thy  truth  in  words  to  men  below, 
They  will  declare  me  mad,  and  I  shall  be 
Crushed  like  a  worm  beneath  man's  heel  that  dies. 

"  Nay,  brother,  nay.!  for  thou  art  here  to  see 

Truth  that  shall  make  uncounted  myriads  wise. 

If  thou  art  faithful  to  thy  noble  trust. 

Like  a  white  lily  blossoming  from  dust, 

Thy  memory  shall  bloom 

When  kings  and  hierarchs  are  lost  in  gloom." 

Flatter  me  not,  oh,  Angel ;  Earth  is  strong, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  127 

Sin-bound  and  iron-hampered  with  the  Wrong. 
Wert  thou  on  Earth,  did'st  thou  thy  Wisdom  tell 
To  mortals,  they  would  call  thee  "  fiend  from  hell," 
And  quote  from  sacred  books  to  prove  thou  wert. 
And  were  thy  body  capable  of  hurt, 
The  axe,  the  rifle,  the  assassin's  steel, 
The  fire,  the  gallows,  or  the  torturing  wheel 
Would  be  thy  doom,  or,  thy  pure  lips  unfed, 
Thou  would'st  grow  famished  for  a  crust  of  bread. 
Such  is  the  orb  where  my  external  lives  : 
He  who  celestial  truth  to  myriads  gives 
Bears  on  his  pallid  brow  the  mark  of  shame. 
Scorn  clothes  him  like  a  shirt  of  woven  flame. 
Angel,  'tis  so  ;  when  I  to  earth  return, 

Thousands  of  miles  my  weary  feet  must  go. 
I  have  no  home,  no  place  to  lay  my  head, 

And  drink  the  cup  of  wo. 

I  with  the  Angel  rise,  with  her  I  stand 
Upon  the  margin  of  a  snow-white  Land 
Where  Truth,  in  its  own  light,  is  seen  and  known. 
Here  thoughts,  like  seeds,  in  the  white  substance  sown, 
Rise  with  great  shafts,  expand  their  branches  far, 
Bearing  vast  fruits  and  flowers  like  sun  and  star. 
These  are  the  souls  of  worlds ;  within  them  lies 
The  germinal  essence  of  all  properties 
Hereafter  to  assume  electric  forms 


128  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

In  intermediate  spheres.     Here  nights  and  morns, 
And  noons  and  seasons  shine. 

Beneath  appears 
A  mighty  splendor-mine 
Filled  with  the  essence  of  all  crystalline, 
All  chemic  elements,  all  precious  ores. 
An  ocean  of  white  mind-fluid  laves  the  shores, 
And  essences  that  shall  hereafter  be 
The  radiant,  sparkling  shrines  of  Deity, 
In  milk-white  clouds  meander  as  if  they 
Were  snowy  mists  in  one  blest  heaven  of  day. 
In  this  high  Sphere  all  things  originate  ; 
It  is  a  realm  whose  vast  and  solemn  state 
In  sovereign  splendor  dazzles,  with  intense, 
Reflected  thought-beams  of  Omniscience, 
All  finite  faculties  of  mind  and  will. 
Seven  separate  Thoughts  through  all  my  nature  thrill 
These  thoughts  Superior  Wisdom  maketh  known. 

The  first  great  Thought 
Within  me  wrought, 

I  utter  though  I  die 

Tis  this:  before  God  made  an  earth  or  sky; 
Before  a  single  human  form  had  birth, 

He  built  a  heaven  and  earth 

Of  thought-forms,  and  He  said,  O,  Time  and  Space 
I  will  you  into  being.     From  His  face 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  129 

A  glory-sphere  outshone,  and  'twas  a  sun. 
Love,  Wisdom,  Use,  rolled  from  the  Eternal  One. 
And,  interfused,  their  ultimates  became 
A  vortex  of  heat,  light,  and  blended  flame, 
Which  was  the  source  of  Nature,  for  all  these 

In  three  discrete  degrees 

Became  less  animate,  less  fine, 

Below  their  Cause  Divine  ; — 
Each  of  these  three  divided  into  seven 
Great  circles, — Highest  the  Celestial  Heaven, 
Which  God's  pure  Love-Sphere  dwells  in ;  this  below 
The  Spiritual  Heaven,  with  silver  glow, 
Quickened,  sustained,  pervaded  from  above 
By  the  great  Sphere  Divine  of  Truth  in  Love  , 
And  below  these,  outrolled  in  space  and  time, 
A  realm  of  ether,  waveless,  crystalline, 
Swimming  with  suns  and  vortices  and  realms 
Of  natural  lire — 

The  subject  overwhelms 

My  laboring  Reason.     All  things  that  appear — 
All  laws,  all  principles,  out-imaged  here 
In  the  vast  realm  of  causes,  where  Causation 
Itself — God — worketh  out  creation — 
Appear  so  manifest,  that  Wisdom  finds 
All  secrets  here  :  the  origin  of  minds, 
The  government,  the  order,  and  the  end 
Whereto  all  issues  in  their  movement  tend. 


130  ANEPICOFTHE 

Here,  visible,  the  Future  and  the  Past 
I  calmly  see,  with  insight  pure  and  vast. 
Thus  on  the  lower  earth,  terrestrial  men 
Upon  the  topmost  peak  of  Darien 
Behold  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  seas, 
The  ocean  of  the  old  world  and  the  new 
Swept  by  the  morning  breeze, 
And  blended  in  one  grand  consummate  view. 


The  second  Truth  I  must  perforce  declare 

Is  this  :   God  ever  worketh,  everywhere, 

And  everywhere  from  one  Divine  decree, 

Urging  all  forms  to  one  high  destiny, 

Shaping  all  things  in  wisdom  from  His  will, — 

And  oh,  how  calm  He  works  !  and  oh,  how  still ! 

And  works  from  centers  outward  to  extremes, 

Diffusing  through  all  forms  the  tempered  beams 

Of  love  and  wisdom  perfect  and  divine, 

Through  them  outworking  through  all  space  and  time. 

And  everywhere  outfashioning  the  same 

Great  purpose  into  being.     His  true  name 

Is  Maker,  for  He  works  with  master  hand 

In  every  sun  and  every  grain  of  sand, 

With  perfect  skill.     His  work  is  never  done, 

Or,  being  ended,  is  anew  begun. 


3  TARRY     HEAVEN.  131 

The  Third  great  Truth  I  utter  yet  shall  be 
The  theme  of  poet  eloquence,  and  sung 
With  harp,  and  organ,  and  the  human  tongue, 

And  melted  in  the  universal  sea 

Of  human  nature,  as  a  pearl  in  wine. 

There  is  in  every  soul  an  inner  shrine 

Of  love  and  wisdom,  holier  than  ark, 

Parchment,  or.written  stone,  or  leafy  bark 

Inscribed  with  wisdom  from  the  golden  age — 

A  sunlike  altar,  an  immortal  page 

Which  God  hath  made  to  be  type,  record,  shrine, 

And  angel-peopled  home 
And  paradise  and  sky  and  spirit-dome 
Of  his  essential  Godhood. 

Evermore 

The  God  whom  all  celestial  hosts  adore 
Is  working  there. 

Were  man  the  burning  pit, 
And  his  interiors  hell,  the  Infinite 
Creator  not  the  less  would  stand  therein, 
With  still,  sweet  music  speaking  through  the  din 
Of  all  tumultuous  passions,  till  the  sea 
Of  the  heart's  madness  and  its  agony, 
Brightened  beneath  the  footprints  of  His  love, 
Grew  calm,  reflecting  heavens  of  bliss  above. 


132  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

In  plainer  language,  doing  all  tilings  well, 
God's  effluence  doth  in  darkest  natures  dwell, 
Speaking,  imploring,  blessing  them  by  turns, 
Seeking  to  cleanse  the  desecrated  urns 
Of  thought  and  feeling,  scattering  fragrant  dews 
Of  blessing,  choice  and  frequent  and  profuse, 
On  the  parched  desert  of  the  worldling's  heart ; 
Driving  the  money-changers  from  the  mart 
Of  the  interior  temple,  making  whole 
The  sick,  despairing  inmates  of  the  soul, 
Cleansing  the  tainted  appetites,  revealing 
A  heaven  of  love  for  every  inmost  feeling 
Outflowing  even  to  the  far  extremes 
Of  outer  sense,  outrolling  glory -beams 
From  the  sweet  love-sphere  of  His  own  pure  nature 
Clothing  each  wasted  breast  and  mind  and  feature. 
With  heavens  of  love  and  light  and  innocence, 
Quickening  the  very  nerves  of  outer  sense 
For  melody  and  sight  and  living  joy — 
This  work  is  God's  employ. 

There's  not  a  pirate  in  the  Indian  Ocean 
God  dwells  not  in,  with  tides  of  pure  emotion 
Seeking  to  hallow,  sanctify,  inspire, 
And  lift  him  from  that  hell  of  inward  fire, 
Whose  scorching  madness  desolates,  defiles, 
Degrades  his  spirit. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  133 

In  those  barbarous  Isles, 
Where  gory  cannibals  lap  human  blood, 
And  gnash  their  teeth  upon  half-living  food 
Of  men  and  brothers,  God  is  not  afar. 
He  worketh  there,  as  where  the  angels  are, 
Seeking  to  call  from  out  these  caverns  drear 
Bright  Spirits,  fitted  for  the  Seventh  Sphere — • 
Seeking  to  change  the  human  wolves  to  men, 
While  angels  breathe  from  heaven,  "  Amen,  Amen." 

God  is  no  iron  bigot  who  beside 
Some  learned  divine  reposes  sleepy-eyed, 
While  the  grave  prelate  misapplies  the  law 
And  testimony.     No  man  ever  saw 
God  in  such  pulpit  or  such  papal  robe. 
He  holds  creation  as  a  hollow  globe 
In  his  right  hand,  or  like  a  lily  bloom 
Bathing  it  from  the  splendor  of  His  eyes. 

Creation,  like  a  new-born  infant,  lies 

Near  to  His  heart.     Sight,  sense,  the  inward  eyes, 

The  Moral  Reason — all  declare  how  dear 

Creation  is  to  the  great  Father  Soul. 

Its  little  pulses  from  His  bosom  roll, 

O'erflowed  and  harmonized.     Its  lips  are  fed 

From  God,  and  on  His  breast  it  pillows  its  young  head. 


134  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

The  fourth  great  Truth  sphered  continents  ere  long 

Shall  witness  in  their  jubilee, 
While  Wrong  shall  vanish  utterly, 

From  every  land  and  sea. 

'Tis  this.     That  God,  who  doth  all  Nature  fill 
With  His  own  essence,  outworks  will  divine 
Down  to  the  lowest  elements  of  time. 

Matter  is  like  a  Giant,  and  it  keeps 

High  court  through  all  its  builded  heights  and  deeps 

Uplifts  its  drawbridge,  bids  its  banners  float, 

And  sits  secure  within  its  guarded  moat. 

Like  Arthur's  knights  or  Roland's  paladins, 

Its  champions  round  it  throng 

With  wassail,  wine,  and  song  ; 
But  the  stout  knights  ere  long  shall  not  be  able, 
To  hold  with  all  their  might  their  own  round  table. 

Matter  is  mighty ;  so  is  a  young  horse, 
Champing  his  bit,  impatient  of  all  force  ; 
But  when  his  master  grasps  the  reins — 'tis  then 
He  feels  that  horses  must  submit  to  men. 

Earth,  like  a  wild  steed  in  the  wilderness, 

Circles  around  the  City  of  the  Sun, 
Exulting  in  the  ether's  boundlessness  ; 

But  in  God's  chariot-race  Earth  yet  shall  run. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  135 

Like  horses  white,  with  manes  of  streaming  fire, 

The  milky  planets  circle  in  their  gyre  ; 

While  radiant  Principalities  and  Powers, 

Whose  thoughts,  like  lightning  through  the  thunder-showers, 

Stream  through  the  lower  space,  triumphant  ride. 

The  Lord  of  Life,  sun-crowned,  star-glorified, 

Leads  that  victorious  host. 
They  shall  encompass  Earth ;  on  every  coast 
Men  shall  look  up  to  view  the  constellations, 
And  see  the  sky  thronged  with  Angelic  Nations, 
And  the  blue  atmosphere  become  like  snow. 
From  rank  to  rank  the  silver  trump  shall  blow, 
And  the  great  army  opening  its  wide  ranks — 
Like  a  bright  river  that  o'erflows  its  banks — 
Shall  intermingle  with  the  sons  of  men. 
Each  Angel  shall  take  his  own  diadem, 
His  robe  of  glory,  and  his  shining  vest, 
And  fold  them  round  a  mortal's  brow  and  breast — 
Clasping  his  arms  around  that  brother-mortal 
Whose  heart  shall  open  heaven-wide,  like  the  portal 
Of  the  great  city  he  of  Patmos  saw, — 
Without  a  spot,  a  wrinkle,  or  a  flaw, 
Divine  Salvation  interpenetrate 
Each  willing  soul.     Then  shall  the  Eden  gate 
Re-open,  and  the  Eden  trees  arise, 
And  all  the  world  become  a  Paradise. 


136  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Then  shall  man's  face  with  rapture  shine, 
While  from  his  inmost  heart, 

Thy  healing  hand,  O  Lord  divine, 
Withdraws  the  burning  dart. 

Then  shall  the  sacred  manna  fall, 

And  flow  the  angel-wine, 
And  earth  become  Love's  banquet-hall, 

And  Truth's  fraternal  shrine. 

Then  shall  electric  splendor-trees 

Wave  in  celestial  blue  ; 
Electric  isles  fill  all  the  seas, 

While  God  makes  all  things  new. 

Then  shall  the  stormy  winds  that  blow, 

Like  zephyrs  fan  the  air, 
While  Beauty  clothes  the  world  below, 

And  Peace  is  everywhere. 

,.      Then  shall  the  red  volcano  cease, 

The  earthquake  sleep  for  aye, 
And  darkness  unto  light  release 
The  myriads  of  its  prey. 

One  God  shall  dwell  in  every  breast, 
And  rule  in  every  heart, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  137 

And  Angel  Nations  of  the  Blest, 
Shall  never  more  depart. 

And  Earth  run  brightening  through  its  years — 

Those  years  are  now  begun — 
Till  it  ascends  to  heavenly  spheres, 

Transformed  into  a  sun — 

A  sun  of  angels,  splendidly 

Attired  in  deathless  white, 
Set  in  the  zenith  gloriously, 

A  heaven  of  pure  delight ; 

And  every  darkened  spirit,  now 

Degraded  into  crime, 
In  that  high  heaven  adoring  bow 
With  angel-form  sublime. 


Four  great  continents  divide 
Earth  into  its  separate  parts  : 

Lust  and  crime  are  deified 
In  their  mighty  marts. 

Four  great  oceans  roll  between 

Fringed  with  waves  of  bitter  green. 

New-born  Beauty  Isles  lie  sleeping 


138  ANEPICOFTHE 

In  the  silent  heart  of  these  ; 
Spheres  of  pallid  light  are  keeping 
Watch  o'er  them  amid  the  seas. 

In  the  still  aurelian  chamber 

Of  Earth's  viewless  hidden  breast, 
Streams  of  solar  light  meander. 

Soon  the  mighty  West, 
To  its  inmost  heart  impressed, 
Shall  grow  pregnant  with  a  new 
Race  of  Men.     The  golden  blue 
Of  the  Planet  Jupiter, 
And  the  crimson  fire  of  Mars, 
And  the  splendid  golden  hue 
Of  the  first  of  all  the  stars, 
In  their  living  nerves  shall  stir, 
In  their  veins  shall  interfuse. 

In  this  race  the  Earth  renews 
Her  illustrious  splendor-line : 
And  the  new-born  race  shall  shine 
Brightening  through  seven  high  degrees 
Till  the  wide  world  witnesses 
Greece  and  Ind  idealized — 
Earthly  Heaven  realized. 

Triumphing  o'er  Sin  and  Death, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  139 

0 

Like  the  Christ  of  Nazareth, 
This  great  Nation  shall  become 

True  and  wise,  and  good  and  pure, 

And  shall  evermore  endure, 
Sitting  in  its  Pantheon. 

Art  and  Song  shall  have  their  home 

In  their  new  Atlantic  seat, 

And  the  cycle  grow  complete. 
Up  from  Nature's  veins  shall  rise 

Springs  of  life  forever  flowing. 
And  the  rivers  of  the  skies, 

Through  the  natural  rivers  flowing, 
All  the  healing  waters  thrill 
With  the  antidote  of  ill. 


"  Still  my  spirit  near  thee  lingers, 

Brother  of  my  heart,  and  still 
Presses  with  immortal  fingers 

Silently  thy  hand  and  will." 
Thus  again  the  charmed  Mars-Maiden, — 

Angel  of  the  rosy  shrine, — 
Sings  ;  her  song  with  love  o'erladen 

Melts  into  life's  inner  shrine. 
"  Rise,  another  wonder  waits  thee 

In  the  first  great  heavenly  halls  ; 


HO  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

* 

Rise  unto  the  fair  and  stately 

World  of  Inmost  Cause."     There  falls 
Soft  pressure  on  me  from  a  viewless  hand. 
I  see  around  me  a  transparent  band, 

A  galaxy  of  light, 

A  wonder-sphere  of  glory  and  delight, 
A  Paradise  of  Pleasure.     I  appear 

To  be  no  stranger  here. 
It  floats  like  a  pavilion  in  the  sky ; 
It  is  the  emblem  of  eternity ; 
Whoever  dwells  within  its  charmed  ring 
Sees  the  Great  Spirit  Cause — beholds  the  Eternal  King 

As  One,  and  not  as  three. 

Truth  is  a  Unit — God  a  Unity. 
And  what  is  God  ?     According  to  his  height 
Of  goodness,  man  portrays  the  Infinite. 
He  is — He  is — Himself;  and  self-possessed, 
Possesses  all  things.     Worlds  of  angels  blessed 
Compared  to  Him  are  but  as  painted  forms 
Mirrored  within  a  burning  concave  lens — 
Daguerreotypes  of  Deity  that  shine 
As  pictures  in  the  palace-hall  sublime 
Of  HIM  WHO  is.     And  space  is  but  a  mirror, 
And  all  its  glories  that  endure  forever 
The  waking  visions  of  the  Infinite  ; — 
Suns,  globes  of  thought  from  his  great  splendor  lit ; — 
Creation  natural  is  paradise  ; — 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  141 

All  men  the  Adam,  all  their  mates,  the  Eve, 
Who  each  from  God  their  all  of  life  receive, 
And  sit  together  on  the  fragrant  sod, 
Lovely  immortals  at  the  feet  of  God ! 

All  things  appear  to  me 
From  this  high  point  to  form  a  unity. 

One  center  sun  rolls  out  for  aye 

All  globes  that  move  in  space  ; 
One  Father  God  creates  the  day — 

All  light  is  from  His  face. 
All  globes  at  last  are  changed  to  spheres  ; 

With  spirit-fire  they  burn — 
Grow  bright  through  God's  eternal  years, 

And  unto  Him  return. 


Creation  first  existed  in  God's  thought ; 
Creation  then  was  into  space  outwrought ; 
Creation  now  is  in  a  middle  state  ; 
God  doth  each  moment  suns  and  heavens  create. 
The  Universe  itself  is  in  its  spring  ; 
Suns  are  like  meadow-daisies  blossoming, 
And  Spirit  Globes  aromas  born  of  these. 
Wave  upon  wave  outroll  the  floral  seas 
Of  blooming  constellations.     There  is  one 


142  ANEPICOFTHE 

God — Father — preexistent  and  alone  ; — 

And  the  vast  structure  of  the  Universe 

Is  His  own  thought  outsung  in  living  verse. 

God  thought  man  into  being — sent  a  ray 
Of  splendor  from  His  own  creative  day, 
Concentering  in  that  beam  all  qualities 
From  His  Divine,  all  parts,  all  faculties  ; 
And  man  arose  where  all  that  light  stood  still 
Upon  the  earth,  a  living  form  of  will ; 
Finite,  dependent,  mediate,  arrayed 
In  selfhood — 'twas  the  Infinite  portrayed 
In  lowest,  least  molecules  of  space  : 
Yet  God's  own  art  made  man  in  form  and  face 
The  glorious  symbol  of  the  One  Divine — 
An  ultimate,  derived  from  God,  in  time. 
This  high  philosophy  o'ercomes  my  powers 
Of  mind  ;  I  drop  my  head  upon  my  breast, 
A.nd  my  thoughts  close  their  leaves  like  sunset  flowers— 
I  tremble  into  rest. 

And  in  that  rest' I  rise  a  new  degree  ; 
Superior  images  of  Truth  I  see  ; 
I  learn  how  God  possesses  all  things,  and 
Outshapes  the  vastness  of  the  sea  and  land, 
And  scatters  suns  like  crystals  on  the  floor 
Of  the  blue  heaven,  arid  causes  evermore 


STARRYHEAVEN.  141 

The  suns  to  blossom  and  the  heavens  unfold. 

He  plants  the  suns  within  ethereal  mold 

As  one  might  plant  wheat-kernels  in  the  dust, 

And  they  outbloom  through  their  material  crust, 

Open  bright  chalices  of  painted  gold — 

Outthrow  on  every  side  their  tendrils  fair, 

And  then  take  root  amid  the  living  air 

Like  strawberry  vines  ;  and  from  each  root  springy  fortb 

Another  flower,  a  paradise  of  earth. 

The  universes  differ  in  degree, 

In  tint,  in  stature,  and  in  symmetry — 

In  varying  nature,  beauty,  light,  and  bloom — 

In  style  of  mind,  in  love,  and  its  perfume. 

As  all  the  floral  families  that  rise 

O'er  the  wide  Earth,  some  in  the  tropic  zone 

And  tropic-hued,  luxuriant,  and  vast, 

Some  gold  and  white,  o'er  the  still  water  strown, 

Some  in  the  North,  and  delicate  and  faint 

As  the  last  whisper  of  a  dying  Saint. 

Wisdom  might  classify  all  constellations 
In  floral  groups  and  series.     Some  unfold 
Like  the  great  century-tree,  and  ages  pass 
And  cycles  of  duration,  and  the  glass 
Of  time  renews  itself  ere  from  the  mold 
Of  the  electric  space  they  gather  in 


144  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Their  precious  essence.     Through  the  ether  thin, 
Long  periods  of  duration  these  must  roll 

All  tenantless  of  Soul : 

Then  in  an  hour  they  wake,  they  bloom,  they  shine, 
They  clothe  themselves  with  spheral  robes  divine — 
Millions  and  millions  of  immortal  hosts 
Throng  radiant  on  their  vast,  illustrious  coasts — 
Millions  of  worlds  attend  them,  rolling  on, 
Blooming  with  spirit-life  in  unison, 
And  filling  heaven  with  their  arisen  Nations. 

Each  world,  created  by  Almighty  Power, 
Is  symbolized  by  some  terrestrial  flower  ; — • 
The  jessamine,  the  olive,  the  tuberose, 
The  lily  with  her  bridal  vail  of  snows  ; 
The  oak,  the  pine,  the  myrtle  tree,  the  palm, 
Each  flower  of  beauty,  fruit,  or  fragrant  balm  ; — 
And  every  flower  is  in  its  destinies 
Governed  by  some  pure  sun-sphere  in  the  skies. 
Metals  and  minerals  are  not  less  than  these 
Subject  to  heaven's  vast,  orb-like  harmonies  ; 
And  stars  there  are  that  correspond  to  all 
The  precious  crystals  of  our  earthly  ball. 

Great  suns  there  are, 
That  burn  afar, 
Like  diamonds  in  the  mine — 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  1 15 

Some  like  the  pearl ; — 

That  angel-girl, 
That  spirit- friend  of  mine, 

Adds  to  this  woof 

Another  truth, 
With  mystic  meaning  laden, 

And  wisely  says 

That  different  rays 
Insphere  in  youth  and  maiden. 

There  are  Suns  of  Wisdom  and  Suns  of  Love, 
That  roll  in  the  vault  of  heaven  above  ; 
And  the  Suns  of  Wisdom  shine  in  the  brain, 
But  the  Suns  of  Love  in  the  bosom  reign. 

All  Angels  once  were  natural  men ; 

All  heavens  were  natural  earths  ; 
And  Angels  rise  through  endless  spirit-births, 

To  God  from  whom  they  came. 

This  the  dark  mind  of  darkened  man  believes 
In  part.     What  man  is  there  the  truth  conceives 
That  Earths  become  transfigured  ;  throb  with  soul, 

Cease  to  revolve  in  natural  time  and  space  ; 
And  round  a  Center  Heaven  sublimely  roll 

Brightened  from  God's  own  face  ? 
Yet  thus  it  is.     All  worlds  from  dust  arise, 


146  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

And  seek  in  highest  heaven  bright  destinies 
Of  love  and  wisdom.     Flower-like  they  appear, 
Born  in  the  spring  of  Heaven's  eternal  year, 
Like  violets  blooming  on  the  natural  sod, 
And  their  essential  life  exhales  to  God ! 

Yet  earths  are  not  destroyed  in  burning  flame  ; 
No  meteor  garment  of  red  conflagration 
Wraps  them  in  fiery  folds  of  desolation. 
Worlds  do  not  perish  by  a  slow  decay, 
But  by  degrees  their  dust  exhales  away — 
Melting  like  music  into  golden  light, 
Blooming  in  beauty-forms  that  thrill  the  sight, 

And  like  essential  prayers 

Rising  through  twilight  airs, 
And  in  the  realms  of  ether  recombined, 
Transformed  into  the  Palaces  of  Mind, 
And  made  sweet  love-spheres,  picturing  in  forma 
Of  skies  and  seas,  and  atmospheres  and  morns, 
Filled  with  all  images  that  charm  the  eye, 
And  sounds  that  lap  the  soul  in  ecstasy, 
The  gradual  growth  of  the  interior  man. 

God's  purpose  doth  with  rainbow  arch  o'erspau 
All  realms  of  matter  and  all  states  of  mind : 
All  matter,  glorious,  shall  be  sublimed 
Into  a  universal  heaven,  so  vast 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  147 

That  every  world  that  bloomed  in  all  the  past, 
Within  its  pure  dominion  merged,  shall  be 
A  note  in  the  Celestial  Harmony. 

From  this  great  altitude  I  now  descend — 

The  seven-fold  Truths  here  spoken  yet  shall  blend 

And  melt  like  music,  and  become  the  faith 

Of  a  New  World,  wherein  shall  be  no  death. 


A  child-like  Spirit  takes  me  by  the  hand  : 

I  wake,  and  round  my  waking  sight  expand 

The  pictured  splendors,  the  long  colonnades, 

The  statued  glories,  the  divine  arcades 

Of  the  great  Temple,  in  whose  heart-like  shrine, 

In  trances  deep  I  saw  these  higher  Wisdoms  shine. 

High  in  the  middle  air,  like  heaven,  the  dome 
Of  the  vast  Temple,  carved  of  sapphire  stone, 
With  starlit  frescoes  glimmering  from  its  heights, 
Trances  my  soul  in  wonders  and  delights. 
Outblazoned  there  in  Heaven's  artistic  verse, 
The  epic  poem  of  the  universe 
Appears  depicted  splendidly  and  vast. 
From  every  star  a  separate  light  is  cast. 
High  in  the  zenith  shines  a  center  sun 
Of  golden  diamond,  whose  rays  outrun 


148  AN.     EPIC     OF     THE 

Through  seven  pure  harmonies  and  interflow 
Through  all  the  dome  above  and  all  the  shrine  below 


"  We  are  rising,  we  are  rising," 
All  the  worlds  harmonious  cry, 
"  Up  to  God's  white  throne  on  high. 

Glories  evermore  surprising 

Dawn  upon  us  while  we  rise 
.    Out  of  lower  space  and  time, 

To  the  sphere  of  Love  Divine, 
Where  the  Everlasting  Eyes 

Beam  upon  us,  flowing  through  us, 

And  in  God's  own  life  renew  us — 
Hark !  we  hear  the  Father  call, 

And  we  rise  as  Angels  rise — 
All  our  dust-clouds  from  us  fall, 

All  our  essences  inroll, 

And  each  world  becomes  a  soul. 

"  Nor  we  alone,  but  all 
Worlds  through  immensity 
Shall  pure  world-spirits  be. 

"  Wake  !  wake  !  ye  Orbs,  put  on  your  robes  of  fire  ; 
Strike,  strike,  ye  Planets,  each  your  seven-fold  lyre 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  149 

"  Your  great  Humanities  shall  all  become 
Statues  of  light  upon  the  eternal  walls 
Of  God's  own  habitation.     From  His  throne 
His  voice  descends  and  calls 

You  all  to  Him. 

And  God  indraws  the  space  wherein  ye  swim 
Into  a  glory-sphere.     Creation's  globe 
Changes  into  His  heaven-illumined  robe." 

I  hear  a  viewless  choir 
Sing  this  mysterious  melody.     It  flows 
Like  summer  perfume  from  a  viewless  rose. 

The  gradual  strains  retire. 


Planets  are  gems  in  God's  eternal  crown, 
Each  with  a  different  splendor  shining  down 
Each  is  the  symbol  of  a  separate  thought ; 
Each  from  a  different  inner  form  is  wrought. 
And  they  shine  and  never  weary, 

For  they  quicken  as  they  shine, 
And  they  change,  but  never  vary, 
For  they  live  from  the  Divine. 

And  their  eyes  with  beauty  glisten, 
And  their  nearts  with  gladness  thrill, 


150  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

And  their  ears  forever  listen 
To  the  music  of  God's  will. 

And  they  live  because  God  liveth, 
And  His  life  flows  through  their  veins 

And  the  life  He  to  them  giveth 
In  the  great  Forever  reigns. 


Christ,  in  the  moment  of  transfiguration, 

When  his  external  form  like  heaven  did  glow, 
And  even  His  raiment  glistened  as  the  snow, 

Revealed  the  destiny  of  the  creation. 

The  Universe  itself  shall  be  transfigured 

When  the  Indwelling  God  flows  down  through  all. 
Let  no  vain  critic  this  false  doctrine  call  : 

From  the  most  ancient  time  it  was  prefigured, 
And  seen  in  trance  by  Moses,  John,  and  Paul. 

In  their  interior  life  the  Ancient  Sages 

Saw  that  all  things  Avere  by  one  God  created, 
And  to  one  end,  like  God,  were  splendor-fated 

They  saw  beyond  the  dark  and  mournful  ages 

A  Universe  harmonious  and  immortal. 

They  saw  God,  clothed  upon  with  robes  of  fire, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  151 

Standing  sublime  in  the  celestial  portal, 

Saying  to  all  the  planets,  "  Come  up  higher." 

They  saw  disastrous  Evil  drop  down  dead 

And  vanish  to  its  own  nonentity  ; 
They  saw  the  eternal  marriage-feast  outspread, 

And  heard  God  say  to  all,  "  Come  unto  me." 

God  cometh  now  His  purpose  to  fulfill ; 

All  heaven  is  vibrant  with  the  expectation ; 
Moved  by  His  grand  creative  word,  "  I  WILL  !" 

Earth  shall  bring  forth  a  new  divine  creation. 

In  trances  vast, 

On  me  is  cast 
The  ancient  Prophet  vision  ; 

The  fading  glooms, 

The  deathlesa  blooms, 
The  world  of  spirits  risen  ; 

The  end  of  death, 

The  living  breath 
Of  God  through  all  descending ; 

The  Paradise, 

The  new-born  skies, 
The  heaven  with  earth  inblending  ; 

The  vast  Republic  of  the  Free, 


152  ANEPICOFTHK 

The  Christ-like  Nation  yet  to  be 
This  on  my  vision  burning, 

Thrill  all  my  veins 

With  music  strains, 
And  fill  my  soul  with  yearning 

For  all  mankind 
Like  me  to  find 

A  glory-fate  for  Nations  ; 
And  see  depart, 
From  every  heart, 
The  reign  of  Desolations. 


"  Here  ends  thy  day  on  planet  Jupiter ; 

So  speaks  that  Orphic  Sage. 

Ere  long  another  planetary  page 
Opens  for  thee,  oh,  Spirit-traveler." 


HEAVEN.  153 

\ 


fart  iljirtmt. 

SCENE. — A  Garden  of  Astral  Fruit  upon  the  Planet  Jupiter;  the 
Electrical  Ocean  of  the  Solar  System,  and  the  Planet  Mercury. 

MAN  grows  like  what  he  feeds  on  ;  hence,  in  heaven, 
Love-fruits  and  wisdom-fruits  to  men  are  given, 
Formed  for  the  quickening  of  the  heart  and  mind 
In  truth  and  good;  and  when  Earths  grow  refined, 
Fruitage  of  heaven  in  earthly  form  appears, 
And  the  essential  virtues  of  the  spheres 

Descend,  condense,  cohere, 
And  like  celestial  fruit  in  Paradise  appear. 

All  pure  varieties  of  angel-love 
And  thoughts  divine,  descending  from  above, 
Insphere  the  fragrant  clusters,  and  impart 
Immortal  virtue   to  the  mind  and  heart. 

.     Such  food  each  generous  bough  supplies  ; 
It  lights  with  love  the  beaming  eyes  ; 
7* 


154  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Flows  through  the  veins  like  spirit-fire, 
And  nerves  with  life  each  pure  desire  ; 
Quickens  the  powers  of  mind  and  will, 
And  makes  the  tongue  an  oracle 
Whence  golden  sentences  distill, 
And  listening  souls  with  rapture  fill. 

Each  varying  fruit  the  Angels  eat 
Brings  to  the  soul  a  varying  sweet ; 
I  see  upon  the  tinted  boughs 
Rich  clusters  bright  with  crimson  gold, 
Sweet  as  celestial  nuptial  vows, 

And  dewy,  soft,  and  cold. 
And  I  partake,  and  gladness  thrills 

My  being  to  its  spirit-core  ; 
Each  inward  pulse  with  rapture  thrills, 

And  joy  unfelt  before, 
And  as  I  eat,  my  spirit  takes 
From  the  vast  orb  its  rapid  flight. 


I  see  afar 

A  trembling  star, 
Like  a  pure  golden  chrysolite. 
On  me  a  new-born  glory  breaks, 
And  like  a  winged  soul  I  cleave 
The  lucid  air  whose  billows  wreathe 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  155 

Above  my  head. 

A  new-born  day 
Is  breaking  on  me.     I  survey 
An  orb  so  beautiful,  it  seems 
Just  born  from  out  God's  morning  dreams. 

Shaped  like  a  hollow  pearl,  it  lies 

Where  milk-white  waters  gently  flow, 
And  music-airs  all  fragrant  blow 

From  out  the  sun  into  the  skies. 

All  delicate,  serene,  and  faint, 
And  lovely  as  an  angel  saint, 
Tranced  in  a  vision  of  God's  throne, 
Wrapt,  silent,  worshiping,  alone, 
Stands  the  fair  Planet  Mercury. 
And  soft,  and  pale,  and  dreamily 
The  lovely  vision  dawns  on  me, — 

A  world  all  fragrance  and  all  bloom, 
Of  silver  morn  and  seven-fold  noon, 
Of  amber  eve  and  night  that  sails 
Out  from  the  west  on  halcyon  gales, 
Breathes  heaven-born  fragrance  on  her  way 
And  seems  young  sister  to  the  Day. 

And  such  a  world,  no  mortal  verse 


156  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Hath  e'er  essayed  to  paint  its  form, 
So  soft,  so  clear,  so  bright  and  warm. 
It  seems  an  Infant  Universe  ; 
The  miniature  of  all  completeness, 
The  living  soul  of  heavenly  sweetness ; 
Fair  as  a  boy-god  laid  asleep 

Beneath  immortal  trees, 

Whom  angel  Harmonies 
Forever  watch  and  keep. 

An  ocean  like  a  golden  ring 

Around  its  bright  equator  shines  ; 
Isles  crimson-hued  and  blossoming, 

Like  heaven's  own  deathless  climes, 
Are  stars  in  these  elysian  waters  ; 
And  beauty  in  them  dwells 
Weaving  delicious  spells, 
Blending  in  union  sweet  her  radiant  sons  and  daughters. 

Near  every  Islet's  marge 

Full  many  a  golden  barge 
Appears  moved  on  by  wings  of  lucent  snow. 
Like  snow-white  eagles  in  their  motion,  these 

Flit  o'er  the  glimmering  seas. 

And  far,  oh,  far  below, 
Beneath  the  living  ocean,  land  appears, 
Covered  by  water  as  by  crystal  spheres, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  157 

Where  forms  of  Beauty  dwell  in  bowers  of  green, 
And  looking  upward  through  the  wave  serene, 
Behold  bright  barks  above  the  surface  driven, 
As  Man  on  Earth  shall  yet  see  angel  fleets  in  heaven. 

Love  enchanted, 

Beauty  haunted, 
Tranced  in  wonder  and  surprise, 

All  my  being 

Merged  in  seeing, 
I  descend  from  out  the  skies. 
And  the  sky  is  all  a  temple 

Filled  with  statue-forms  of  grace  ; 
These  angelic  souls  resemble, 
And  each  hath  an  angel's  face. 

And  the  sky  above  me  glimmers 
Like  a  cloud  of  gold  and  white, 

And  an  angel  empire  shimmers 

Through  the  half-transparent  light  ;— 

Faces  holy,  blessed,  glorious, 
Faces  loving,  pure,  victorious, 
Faces  varying  in  splendor  ; 
Faces  soft  and  calm  and  tender, 
Looking  down  in  so  much  love 
From  their  golden  heights  above, 


158  AN     EPIC    OF     THE. 

That  they  trance  my  spirit  deep 
In  a  heaven-revealing  sleep. 

Eastward,  where  the  holy  sun 
Shines  above  the  horizon, 
He  appears  an  orb  of  angels, 
Each  of  whom  in  form  resembles 
Christ,  the  Lord  of  Nazareth. 
Thrilling  with  melodious  breath, 
All  the  air  becomes  a  sea 
Of  divinest  ecstasy, 
For  the  sunlight  is  a  song, 
And  the  song-waves  interflow, 
Till  they  bathe  the  world  below 
With  the  rapture  of  the  throng 
Who  appear  amid  the  globe 
Of  the  sun's  translucent  robe. 
All  the  rays  of  morning  shine 
Natural,  human,  and  Divine ! 

I  see  a  city  which  the  rising  sun 

Shines  on  and  wakes  ;  the  mighty  city  lies 

Four  square  :  its  gates  are  pearls  ;  each  precious  stone 
Is  builded  in  its  battlements  ;  they  rise 
Like  sculptured  and  immortal  harmonies. 
Within  the  city  is  a  golden  ring, 
Where  Eden  trees  all  fragrant  blossoming 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  159 

In  mystic  seven-fold  spiral  order  stand. 
Elysian  airs,  melodious  and  bland, 
And  cool  as  crystal  snow 
Upon  my  temples  blow  ; 
And  underneath  the  immortal  trees 
I  see  such  lovely  companies — 
Maidens,  and  youths,  and  kingly  man  and  woman, 
And  little  children  fair, 
Whose  varying  faces  wear 
A  look  at  once  divine,  angelic,  human, 

That  all  my  being  longs 
To  dwell  forever  'mid  the  happy  throngs, 

To  be  a  little  child, 
Gazing  forever  in  those  faces  mild. 

Their  forms  are  perfect  symmetry ; 

Each  atom  is  an  harmony  ; 
And  through  the  outer  form  the  spirit  shines. 
The  outer  form  the  inner  soul  enshrines 
In  loveliness,  so  perfect  that  no  art 
Can  picture  it.     The  form,  the  mind,  the  heart, 
The  eye,  the  soul,  each  separate  faculty, 
Blended  in  one  complete  Humanity, 
Is  like  a  separate  sphere  in  heaven  serene. 
Such  beauty  never  on  the  Earth  was  seen, 

So  delicate,  so  calm. 
The  fragrant  airs  these  radiant  shapes  embalm, 


160  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

As  if  sweet  odors  could  alone  be  made 

Fit  raiment  for  each  peerless  youth  and  maid. 

Each  being  is  in  its  own  light  arrayed, 

And  moves  encompassed  by  a  glory-sphere, 

Wherein  all  radiant  images  appear, 

Of  suns,  and  moons,  and  stars,  and  spheral  forms, 

And  flowers,  and  skies,  and  splendor-tinted  morns  ; 

Wherefrom  each  noble  shape  shines  forth  as  glows 

The  upper  heaven  with  its  transcendent  shows 

Of  angel  faces  from  the  mist  of  light, 

Which,  while  it  vails,  reveals  it  to  the  sight. 

Ere  many  years  have  passed,  there  shall  appear 

A  white,  electric  Island  in  the  seas 

Of  the  Pacific,  tenanted  by  these 
Transcendent  forms  ;  and  voyagers  shall  hear 
Music  outstealing  in  the  twilight  dim, 
So  sweet  that  they  shall  fancy  it  a  hymn 
Sung  out  of  heaven  by  Angels  round  God's  throne. 
.  That  Mystic  Isle  shall  be 
Encompassed  by  a  luminous,  vailing  zone, 

Like  a  white  dome  rising  from  out  the  sea. 
No  man  can  pass  within  it.     There  shall  rise 

A  blooming  Paradise 
Of  spirits  pure  and  wise,  and  all  arrayed 
Like  souls  in  Mercury,  and  like  them  made 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  161 

Harmonic,  and  each  one  the  sacred  shrine 
Of  holiness,  and  love,  and  truth  divine. 

And  there  shall  be  above  Earth's  firmament 
Bright  sun-spheres,  formed  of  spirit-light,  inblent 
With  solar  essences,  and  through  their  light 
Myriads  of  Angel  forms  outgleam  on  natural  sight. 

Whole  companies  of  men  on  earth  shall  grow 
Enamored  of  the  Beauty  Forms,  that  stand 
Revealed  in  ether  from  the  Morning  Land, 
And  call  these  bright  ones  from  the  sky  with  prayers, 
And  they  shall  quite  forget  all  meaner  cares, 
Lost  in  that  nobler  love.     And  these  shall  come 
Nearer  and  nearer  from  their  distant  home, 
Until  they  float  above  the  streets,  and  walk 
O'er  the  bright  spires,  and  men  shall  hear  them  talk 
In  language  audible,  whose  every  note 
Upon  the  air  shall  like  a  blessing  float ; 
And  where  these  radiant,  moving  shapes  outgleam, 
Floating  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth  between, 
Millions  shall  gather  and  shall  call  to  them. 

They  shall  respond  again, 

And  speak  in  their  love-languaged  human  tongues, 
And  sing  to  them  their  pure,  celestial  songs, 
And  say  to  men,  "  Be  pure,  be  holy,  learn 
To  lift  the  lowly,  cease  the  poor  to  spurn  ; 


162  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Be  just,  be  temperate,  merciful,  and  cease 
All  strife,  and  let  divine  and  blessed  Peace 
Rule  your  heart's  motion  ;  and  when  this  is  done 
We  will  descend,  each  pure  and  radiant  one." 

Ah,  me  !     I  see  them,  and  I  hear  them  say,  • 
"  Already  dawns  for  earth  the  blest  immortal  day  ; 
Already  opes  for  Earth  Love's  endless  page, 
And  brightens  in  the  new  Saturnian  Age  !" 


As  whitest  silver  through  discordant  air 
Seems  clothed  in  black,  yet  is  forever  fair, 
So  Seers  on  the  Earth,  through  shaded  eyes 
Befilmed  with  sense,  have  seen  dense  shadows  rise, 
And,  looking  outward  through  this  clouded  pane 
In  the  great  window  of  the  world,  have  seen 
Spirits  from  Mercury,  not  as  they  reign, 
Supreme  in  goodness,  with  benignant  mien, 
And  silver  whiteness,  but  as  gross  in  stature, 
Dark  in  complexion,  ignoble  in  nature. 

Few  will  believe  how  exquisite,  how  clear, 
These  radiant  men  of  Mercury  appear, — 
Statues  of  diamond,  robed  in  golden  flame, 
Single  in  thought,  in  speech,  in  will  and  aim, 
Emblems  of  faith  and  charity,  with  souls 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  163 

No  base,  material  appetite  controls, 
With  hands  that  call  out  music,  rich  and  rare, 
From  the  electric  stops  and  keys  of  air, 
With  breath  of  hyacinth,  and  lips  that  thrill 
•The  eye  that  gazes  on  them,  and  distill 
Elysian  sweetness. — 

In  a  purple  chamber — 

Whose  roof  is  formed  of  emerald  vines,  that  wander 
Out  into  clearest  etherTit  their  will, 
And  all  the  room  with  summer  fragrance  fill, 
And  every  morning  glow  with  added  lusters, 
And  every  eve  mature  delicious  clusters 
Of  fruit,  each  sense  with  ecstasy  to  fill — 

Whose  floors  are  formed  of  amber, 

Within  whose  veins  meander 
Swift-streaming  currents  of  perpetual  youth — 

Where  golden  dew-drops  ever, 

Like  mists  from  Heaven's  own  river, 
Rise  to  refresh  the  vine-blossoms  in  the  roof — 

Seated  upon  a  dais 

A  bright  Maid-"  Melotais" — 
For  so  I  hear  the  maiden  called  by  name — 

Sits  caroling  a  paean 

Whose  love-notes  thrill  my  being, 
Holding  a  silver  lyre  whose  chords  are  flame. 

"  Hark  !  hark !  through  the  charmed  silence 


1 64  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Listen  to  my  song. 
Hark  !  hark  !     In  these  happy  Islands 

All  our  lives  flow  on 
Like  the  flow  of  a  celestial  river 
Through  the  land  of  peace  and  love  forever. 

"  Hark  !  hark  !     When  the  Morn  appeareth, 
Every  brow  a  sun-like  emblem  weareth  ; — 
Kindles  every  mind  with  wisdom  grand. 

All  our  minds  in  union 
With  the  Father  hold  divine  communion. 
In  the  Father's  thought  we  seem  to  stand 

An  Immortal  band, 

While  the  glory-sphere  of  His  own  Presence, 
Smiling,  shining,  fills  our  hearts  with  pleasance  ; 

And  we  go 
Rapid  as  the  swift-winged  Zephyrs  flow. 

"  And  our  thoughts  like  doves  float  on  before  us, 
And  our  prayers  like  angels  warble  o'er  us, 
And  our  gladness  fills  the  air  with  sweets — 
Every  heart  its  kindred  spirit  greets. 

"  Holy  lovers  interflow 
In  sweet  marriage  bowers  below  ; 
In  the  sacred  sphere  they  lie 
Of  the  Lord's  Humanity — 


STARRY     HEAVEN".  165 

Even  in  slumber  worshiping 
Heaven's  eternal  Father-King! 

"  Hearken !  hearken  to  my  story  ; 
Each  one  bears  a  separate  glory, 
And  all  splendors  intershine, 
Making  all  our  race  divine. 
And  our  world  is  all  a  grove, 

Even  beneath  the  smiling  sea, 
Where  immortal  angels  rove, 

And  immortal  lovers  be. 

"  Fading,  fading,  fading  bloom — 
Darkening,  darkening,  darkening  gloom- 
Dying,  dying,  dying  life, 
Burning,  burning,  burning  strife, 
Weary  night  and  wasting  day, 
Dull  and  pitiless  decay, 
On  our  orb  are  never  known. 
Like  a  lamp  before  God's  throne 
Burns  our  Planet  undefiled  ; — 
Nay,  it  is  an  angel-child 
In  serenest  ether  playing, 
In  the  Eden  gardens  maying ; 
Beautiful,  and  wise,  and  free 
As  a  thought  of  Deity. 

*  • 
"  Evermore  with  gladness  burning, 


166  ANEPICOFTHE 

Evermore  temptation  spurning, 

Evermore  for  heaven-life  yearning, 

Evermore  to  God  returning, 

All  we  blest  celestials  are. 

And  our  Planet  like  a  car 

Through  the  milk-white  ether  moves, 

Bearing  us  from  loves  to  loves." 

In  her  hand  a  hollow  pearl 
Takes  this  blessed  Angel-girl, 
Filling  it  with  golden  wine 
From  the  sweet,  undying  vine, 
Mixed  with  water,  pure  and  clear. 
Bubbling  from  the  amber  sphere. 

This  the  Maiden  gives  to  me ; 

"  This,"  she  saith,  "  thy  soul  will  free 

From  the  shades  that  intervene." 

As  I  drink  I  fall  asleep. 

Calm,  and  still,  and  pure,  and  deep 

Is  my  slumber. 

I  awake 
Where  the  crystal  morning-beam 

Plays  upon  a  quiet  lake. 
Overhead  in  air  is  seen 
Palace,  temple,  shrine,  and  spire — 
Many  a  deathless  Angel-choir, 


STARRY     HEAVEN. 

Worlds  of  spirit-beauty  clear, 
Mirrored  through  the  atmosphere. 

And  the  radiant  visions  glow 
In  the  tranquil  wave  below. 
For  the  waters  correspond 
To  the  Soul,  that  sees  beyond 
Outward  vails,  and  in  its  breast, 
Picturing  visions  of  the  blest, 
Hath  a  deep  interior  sense — 
Inner  life's  effulgent  lense. 

On  its  brink  a  temple  stands, 
And  a  floral  grove  expands 
All  around  the  radiant  pool ; 
And  that  temple  is  a  school 

For  the  heart ;  and  o'er  its  portal 
Groups  of  sculptured  cherubim, 

Forms  of  Truth  and  Love  immortal, 
Cast  upon  the  fountain's  brim 
Golden  light  from  out  their  eyes. 

Traced  in  tinted  harmonies 
O'er  the  massive  entrance  shine 
These  inter ior-thoughted  lines  : 
"  Truth  is  daylight  for  the  Soul ; 
Love  bespeaks  the  present  God  ; 


167 


1G8  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Through  the  heart  is  found  the  road 
To  Perfection's  endless  goal." 


"  Thought  is  the  Spirit's  bread  ; 
By  thought  the  Mind  is  fed. 
The  holy,  wise,  and  good, 
From  Thought  derive  their  food. 
Thought  makes  the  spirit  strong, 
Nerves  it  against  the  Wrong, 
Turns  in  its  ward  the  key 
That  opes  Eternity. 

"  Thought  liveth  in  the  light ; 
Thought  breathes  in  Love's  delight ; 
Thought  blossoms  in  the  trees  ; 
Thought  throbs  in  tidal  seas. 

"  Thought  grows  complete  in  man  ; 
The  thinker  and  the  plan, 
The  spirit  and  the  shrine, 
The  hand  and  work  combine, 
And  God,  who  built  the  whole, 
Works  in  the  working  soul. 

"  More  than  the  sky  and  earth, 


STARRY     HKAVEN.  169 

Immortal  from  his  birth, 
Man  doth  inherit  these, 
Grasping  the  master  keys 
Of  all  their  unknown  shrines, 
Of  all  revolving  times. 

"  The  passing  centuries 
That  saw  his  form  arise 
Die  down  into  the  Past : 
His  works  their  days  outlast ; 
He  groweth  when  they  cease, 
And  all  his  days  are  peace. 

"  Through  man,  One  Man  Divine, 
God  made  all  heavens  that  shine. 
Through  all  the  angelic  race 
God  shall  the  heavens  replace. 
Each  man  shall  yet  become 
The  center  and  the  home 
Of  galaxies  of  thought 
Within  his  being  wrought ; 
And  God  through  him  shall  build 
New  earths  and  heavens  to  gild 
A  mightier,  fairer  time. 

"  In  man,  as  in  a  clime 
Of  causes,  God  works  on 

8 


170  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Shaping  through  man  his  son, 
Creations  new  and  fair. 
Breath  is  the  soul  of  air. 
The  spheres  of  light  men  wear 
Are  germs  of  Planets  vast. 
In  mighty  aeons  past 

"  God  worked  through  Christ,  the  Lord, 
The  One,  Deific  Word, 
And  through  him  made  all  things, 
The  planets  and  their  rings. 
The  suns  and  all  their  spheres, 
The  seasons  and  the  years 
Through  Him  the  Infinite 
Shone  with  creative  light. 

"  All  men  shall  yet  become 
Mind-organs  of  the  Son, 
Heart-organs  of  the  Lord  ; 
Another,  mightier  Word. 
This  period  shall  befall 
When  God  is  all  in  all. 

"  Then  shall  the  planets  end ; 
All  heavens  in  one  shall  blend, 
Forming  a  glory-sphere, 
Wherein  God  shall  appear. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  171 

All  souls  that  ever  were 
Burning  in  that  pure  air 
Shall  reappear  as  one, 
And  this  God's  Only  Son. 

"  All  men  to  God  return, 
With  life  perpetual  burn  ; 
Finding  in  God  their  home, 
Dwelling  beneath  the  dome, 
Dwelling  within  the  shrine, 
Thinking  the  thought  sublime, 
Breathing  the  holy  joy, 
Working  the  vast  employ, 
Wearing  the  radiant  robe, 
Inhabiting  the  globe, 
And  made  the  sentient  form 
Of  the  Great  Eldest  Born. 

"  Then  shall  a  new  decree, 

A  new  immensity, 

From  out  their  thoughts  evolve 

A  second  sun  revolve 

In  seven-fold  spiral  rings, 

And  all  men  shall  be  kings, 

Wearing  God's  own  bright  robe 

Throned  each  upon  a  globe. 


172  AN      EPIC     OF     THE 

"  God's  joy  is  to  create  ; 
He  makes  men  spirits  great, 
That  they  may  find  employ 
In  working  out  His  joy." 

These  mystic  words  I  read  : 
A  spirit  saith,  "  Take  heed  ; 
Each  burning  truth  inset 
In  thy  soul's  coronet ; 
For  thou  shalt  yet  bestow 
These  truths  on  men  below. 

"  Thy  world  shall  yet  become 
The  paradise  and  home 
Of  men,  Avho  then  shall  be 
Symbols  of  Deity. 

"  That  God,  who  in  the  leaves 
Imprints  His  thought,  and  weaves 
The  purposes  of  fate, 
Mankind  shall  re-create. 

"  Plants  in  Earth's  air  shall  bloom, 
And  each  aerial  plume 
Distill  immortal  sweets 
Upon  thy  earthly  streets. 
Instead,  of  clouds  outspread 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  173 

In  ether  o'er  thy  head, 

Electric  palaces 

Shine  from  amid  the  skies. 

And  spirit-birds  descend, 
Singing  in  leafy  trees, 
Gliding  o'er  all  the  seas  : 

Their  music-notes  shall  blend 
With  birds  of  lower  space. 
The  delicate,  sweet  face 
Of  every  living  child 
Ne'er  be  by  wrong  defiled. 
The  pure,  immortal  heart 
Ne'er  feel  Sin's  burning  dart. 
The  fever  and  the  chill, 
The  opposite  states  of  ill, 
The  languor,  and  intense, 
Delirious  life  of  sense, 
All  end  in  calm  divine. 

"  Spirals  of  light  shall  climb 
All  visible  to  man, 
To  where  the  heaven's  blue  span 
Melts  in  the  Spirit  Sphere. 
The  blood-drop  and  the  tear 
Be  witnessed  never  more. 
The  ocean's  glassy  floor 
Shall  be  envailed  in  bloom. 


174  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Winter  and  storm  and  gloom 
No  longer  shall  find  place 
On  Earth's  immortal  face. 

"  Men  shall  to  heaven  aspire  : 
Cars  of  electric  fire 
Through  heaven  shall  bear  them  on. 
Like  the  white-breasted  swan, 
Man  shall  possess  the  deeps. 
Where  now  the  thunder  leaps, 
From  cloud  to  cloud,  shall  be 
Celestial  minstrelsy. 

"  Earth's  pure,  Harmonic  Age 
Must  come.     The  idle  rage 
Of  priest  and  potentate 
Can  not  close  heaven's  high  gate  ; 
Above  the  monarch's  pride 
Immortal  Angels  ride  ; 
Above  the  Bigot's  frown 
Glows  every  Angel's  crown  ; 
Above  the  Atheist's  hate 
Is  Heaven's  eternal  state. 

Even  now  Earth  wakes  from  sleep : 
With  life  its  pulses  leap. 
Voices  of  spirits  thrill 


STARR  V     HEAVEN.  175 

The  ether  at  their  will. 
Man  knoweth  not  how  strong 
Is  heaven's  descending  throng. 
It  needeth  but  a  breath 
And  outward  forms  expire, 
One  pulse  of  spirit-fire 
And  man  is  lord  of  Death. 

"  Fragrant  and  full  of  flowers 
The  graveyards  yet  shall  be  ; 
And,  blooming  'mid  the  sea, 
Builded  by  heavenly  powers, 
Condensed,  electric,  vast, 
New  Isles  shall  yet  stand  fast. 
God  hath  declared  that  Earth, 
From  this  time  everforth, 
Shall  rise,  forever  rise, 
Through  all  eternities. 


17G  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 


SCENE. — Interior  of  a  School  of  Love  upon  the  Planet  Mercury. 

"  ENTER,  Mortal,  to  our  school ; 
Here  celestial  Love  bears  rule — 
Enter,  Mortal."     Thus  I  hear 
Warbling  voices,  calm  and  clear. 

I  stand  within  a  marble  hall ; 

It  is  like  crystal,  clear  and  white  ; 
In  music  sweet  my  footsteps  fall ; 

Its  roof's  a  floor  of  golden  light, 
An  ether-sphere,  serene  and  pure, 

In  its  own  radiance  far  too  bright 
For  my  thought's  vision  to  endure. 

"  Brother,"  a  radiant  maiden  says, 
On  whose  bright  head  a  glory  plays, 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  177 

"  The  mighty  secrets  of  the  art 

Of  Him  who  built  the  universe 
Shall  here  be  shown  to  thee  in  part." 

Again  I  hear  that  Orphic  verse  : 
"  Man  is  the  Lord  of  all  below  ; 
Through  man  God's  thoughts,  outworking,  flow." 

The  shining  Maiden  says  to  me, 

"  Spirit,  concenter  all  thy  thought, 
And  thou  shalt  see  it  visibly 

Before  thine  eyes  outwrought." 

Up,  like  an  eagle  to  the  sun, 

My  spirit  rises  to  God's  throne. 

I  think  of  God  !  my  thought  becomes  a  zone 

Of  seven-fold  light.     All  glorious,  throned  therein, 

Shine  pictures  of  immortal  seraphim. 

Thus  rapt  Ezekiel  once,  by  Chebar's  bank, 

The  cup  of  inspiration  inly  drank, 

And  the  great  chariot-wheels  of  God  swept  by, 

Pervaded  by  the  life  of  Deity. 

I  see  a  Form, — I  inly  see, — 

Seated  upon  a  diamond  globe, 

Wearing  creation  like  a  robe, 

And  like  a  statue,  that  great  thought 

Into  electric  form  is  wrought. 
8* 


178  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Again  I  think.    I  form  a  sun 

Of  thought  within  my  inmost  mind  ; 
Electric  rays  together  run — 

In  outward  space  my  thought  I  find. 
I  see  a  golden  orb  that  burns, 
Kindled  from  out  the  morning  iirns ; 
And  on  my  vision  while  I  gaze 
That  sun  in  living  radiance  plays. 

I  think  again :  I  think  of  one 

Who  loved  me  dearly  long  ago, 
But  vanished  into  worlds  unknown, 
While  into  dust  her  form  was  thrown. 
Beneath  the  winter  snow. 

My  inward  thought  becomes  a  shape  : 
Exterior  form  I  see  it  take  ; 
A  form  of  matron  beauty  pale, 
Robed  in  a  shining  glory-vail, 
While  love,  amid  her  azure  eyes, 
Shines  from  Love's  inward  paradise. 

"  'Tis  thus  the  Mind  outworks  in  space 
And  image-forms  of  light  and  grace 
Creates  amid  the  spheral  air. — 
This  truth,  0  Man,  to  earth  declare  " 
A  spiritual  voice  says  loud. 


STARRYHEAVEN.  179 

My  head,  obedient,  thrice  is  bowed. 
"  Twas  by  this  power  the  Saviour  fed 
Three  thousand  with  five  loaves  of  bread ; 
And  changed,  through  truth  of  love  divine, 
The  water  to  innoxious  wine. 
The  power  of  thought,  outborn  of  love, 

Superior  is  to  outward  dust, 

For  matter  is  but  shining  rust, 
And  Mind  is  throned  its  forms  above. 

"  Thy  world  again  shall  wonders  see — 
The  New  Creation  yet  to  be. 
Electric  steeds  shall  paw  the  air, 
Electric  chariots  angels  bear ; 
Electric  ships  outsail  from  heaven, 
By  an  interior  will-power  driven. 
Electric  cannon  yet  shall  pour 

Their  fiery  charge,  and  change  the  fate 

Of  lands  predestined  to  a  great 

Free  destiny  of  yore. 
Electric  lions,  beautiful, 
Shall  seek  on  lower  earth  their  kind, 
And  magnetize  with  power  of  mind 
Their  earthly  mates,  till  they  fulfill 
The  ancient  prophecy,  grow  mild 
And  dally  with  the  unweaned  child. 
The  firmament  shall  all  become 


180  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

A  spiritual  pantheon, 

And  every  spirit  good  and  great, 

Appear  therein  with  sovereign  state. 

No  outward  language  can  express 

The  joys  that  then  the  world  shall  bless  ; 

But  what  the  lips  refuse  to  tell 

The  heart  shall  feel.     All,  all  is  well !" 


Only,  O  man,  as  thou  art  free 
From  pride,  and  lust,  and  bigotry  ; 
Inspired  with  heavenly  charity, 
Can  this  deliverance  come  for  thee. 

Only,  O  man,  as  thou  dost  cease 
Thy  civic  feuds,  and  live  in  peace, 
And  give  unto  the  poor  release  ; 

Only  as  thou  abjurest  self, 

Lovest  thy  Brother  more  than  pelf, 

And  drivest  out  the  impish  elf, 

Sectarian  pride,  from  all  thy  heart, 
Canst  thou  have  place,  or  lot,  or  part 
Within  the  Heaven-created  mart 

Of  angel  love  and  angel  bliss  ; 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  181 

And  when  thy  bosom  fmdeth  this 
Thy  lips  shall  feel  the  Spirit's  kiss. 

"  Love  God  and  man  !"    This  ancient  creed 
Must  be  outwrought  in  daily  deed, 
Or  thou  art  helpless  in  thy  need. 

Love  God  in  man.     He  asks  no  more. 
He  only  doth  his  God  adore 
Who  loves  his  brother  evermore. 

In  love  all  things  begin  and  end  ; 
Through  love  man  doth  to  God  ascend, 
And  talk  wilh  him  as  friend  with  friend. 

Love  stands  to  ope  the  Morning  gates, 
Whence  shall  descend  Angelic  Fates — 
The  Genii  of  Fraternal  States. 

Love  lifts  her  angel-finger  high  ; 

And  as  she  points,  the  brightening  sky 

Kindles  with  Immortality. 

Love  hath  one  mighty  end  in  view — 
Tis  this :  God's  Eden  to  renew, 
And  make  all  things  divinely  new. 

And  Love  shall  conquer  at  the  last ; 


182  ANEPICOFTHE 

Evil  shall  vanish  like  a  blast, 
And  the  disasters  of  the  Past, 

Like  death-clouds  from  an  Angel  Soul, 
Depart ;  and  Love  shall  all  control, 
And  Earth  itself  toward  the  goal 
Of  highest  heaven  forever  roll. 


Man  is  the  true  Republic.     Earth  shall  sec 

A  New  Democracy, 

A  New  Theocracy, 

The  Priesthood  of  the  Free  ! 

Inspired  Lawgivers  rise, 

And  from  sublimer  skies 
Receive  interior  wisdom,  and  create 

The  Universal  State  ; 

And  the  old  Dynasties, 

Like  dead  Behemoth,  petrify. 
All  forms  of  Moral  Evil  die. — 
All  equities  in  heaven  originate, — 
From  Heaven  descends  the  Universal  State. 

Oh,  Earth !  there  doth  even  now  for  thee  await 
A  fierce,  red  conflagration,  that  shall  sweep 
All  forms  of  wrong  like  sparks  into  the  deep. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  183 

Thy  Robber  Titans,  Earth,  who  build  on  high 
The  impious  Babylon  of  Slavery, 
Seeking  to  'scape  the  approaching  flood,  shall  be 
Scattered ;  their  very  foot-prints  none  shall  see. 
The  flowers  of  love  and  liberty  shall  bloom 
On  their  forgotten  tomb. 

Archangels  shall  assume  electric  forms, 
And  shine  from  heaven  above  the  Battle-storms, 
And  magnetize  the  Hosts  with  charity. 
The  banner  of  divine  Equality, 

High  in  the  heavens  unfurled, 
Shall  wave  above  a  liberated  world. 

Men  shall  be  Christians  then,  in  word  and  act, 
Pledging  each  other  in  the  solemn  pact 

Of  Brotherhood  and  Right. 

On  every  mountain  height 
Colossal  Images  of  Truth  and  Love, 
And  Faith  and  Charity,  shall  point  above 
With  angel-finger. 

Man  no  more  shall  vail 

His  freeborn  thought,  or  bow  with  visage  pale, 
And  knees  that  knock  together,  when  the  Priest 
Of  Rome  or  Oxford  dictates. 

The  great  beast 
Of  Calvinism,  born  from  out  the  sea 


184  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Of  the  Dark  Ages  and  their  tyranny, 
Shall  shrink  into  a  spectral  cloud,  and  pass 
From  earth  like  vapor  from  a  burning-glass. 
And  the  Imperial  Harlot  of  the  Earth, 
From  whose  accursed  womb  all  hideous  shapes  have  birth, 
Of  dogma,  creed,  and  mind-oppressing  rite, 
Shall  vail  her  face  in  the  last  cloud  of  night — 

Fall  from  her  seven-hilled  throne, 
And  her  unburied  body  disappear.    , 
Then  shall  arise  the  glorious  Christian  Rome, 

And  Liberty  renew  her  Pantheon  ! 
Sublimely  then  each  Martyr  reappear 

From  his  Supernal  Sphere. 
Then  the  Free  Earth  shall  bury  Antichrist, 
And  celebrate  the  great,  fraternal  feast 
Where  now  red  Cardinals  like  adders  coil 
On  the  Italian  soil. 


So  long  as  human  lips  remain  unfed, 

Men  starve  their  Christ  for  lack  of  coarsest  bread  ; 

Where'er  a  single  bondsman  fettered  stands, 

Men  chain  their  Christ  and  bind  their  Saviour's  hands. 

Where'er  a  single  Orphan  inly  dies, 

Or  grows  embruted  in  their  factories, 

Like  old  King  Herod  they  again  condemn 

To  death  the  infant  Lord  of  Bethlehem. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  185 

And  when  they  spurn  the  outcast  from  their  doors, 
While  the  thick  darkness  sweeps  along  the  plain, 
They  drive  out  Christ  into  the  storm  and  rain, 

Frozen,  to  perish  on  the  barren  moors. 

Great,  wealthy  Churches,  yet  a  little  while 
Your  wealth,  amassed  by  fraud,  retained  by  guile, 
Shall  burn  within  you  and  around  you  roll 
With  flaming  billows  of  avenging  fire  ; 

While  the  Eternal  Soul 
Of  Christ  shall  summon  all  the  hungry  poor 
Whom  ye  have  driven  with  curses  from  your  door, 

And  ye  yourselves  expire. 

Old  Frauds  shall  come  to  light,  and  witnesses, 
Long  buried  in  the  dungeons  or  the  seas, 
Shall  speak  out  audibly. — 

Great  names  that  now 
Stand  loftily  and  proud  with  laureled  brow, 
Shall  shrivel  as  a  parchment  cast  in  flames. 

White  hands  shall  then  grow  red  with  bloody  stains, 

And  gaudy  dames  of  fashion,  who  have  driven 

Up  the  broad  carriage-road  to  Fancy's  heaven,  . 

Shall  by  the  world  be  known  for  what  they  are. 

Their  pomps  and  vanities  to  dust  returning, 

Their  robes  of  state  in  flames  electric  burning, 


18G  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Shall  leave  them  naked,  and  reveal  the  scar 

Pride  left,  when  from  the  cold  yet  quivering  breast 

He  tore  out  Heart,  stole  all  the  bosom  loves, 
And  filled  with  adders  foul  their  rifled  nest. 

From  every  Bigot's  breast  in  that  great  day 
A  visible  serpent  shall  spring  forth  and  strike 
At  every  thing  that  glistens  fair  and  white  ; 

And  lizards  in  his  rancorous  throat  shall  play. 
And  Statesmen,  choked  with  their  own  falsehoods,  die 

Like  Judas,  inasmuch  as  they  like  him 
Have  sold  their  Christ,  betraying  Liberty. 

Eyes  with-  the  bitter  tears  of  misery  dim 

Shall  weep  no  more.     The  Saviour  of  the  Poor 

Shall  visibly  stand,  bowing  His  sacred  head 

Beneath  the  rafters  of  the  lowliest  shed, 

And  kiss  the  pallid  lips  of  agony, 

And  smooth  the  wrinkles  of  the  furrowed  brow ; — 

I  thank  thee,  Lord,  thou  comest — here  and  now ! 

'Tis  all  in  vain 
To  fetter  Freedom  in  the  Saviour's  name  : 

He  cometh  to  release 
Earth's  captives,  and  to  bring  eternal  peace. 

This  is  the  judgment.     Evil  builds  its  tomb 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  187 

And  wraps  itself  in  fiery  robes  of  doom. 

Evil  is  like  a  scorpion — vainly  tries 

Truth  to  destroy — and  stings  itself,  and  dies. 

God  leaves  the  Sects  like  wolves  to  eat  each  other ; 
Each  Sectary  sees  in  wolf-like  shape  his  brother, 
And  hunts  him  to  the  death,  and  laps  his  blood, 
And  grows  delirious  from  that  human  food, 
Drives  his  own  fangs  in  his  own  poisoned  veins, 
And  his  own  life-blood  drains. 

Evil  subsists  in  ceaseless  strife  and  hate ; 

This  is  its  final  fate  : 
Left  to  itself  it  shall  at  last  expire 

Like  fire  that  meeteth  fire. 


'Tis  but  a  little  while, 
And  earth  again  like  Paradise  shall  smile  ; 
All  things  must  ultimate  in  good  at  last, 
Freedom,  and  Truth,  and  Love  their  glory  cast 
On  happy  Earth,  the  fair  and  love-born  child 
On  whose  new  birth  Heaven  like  a  mother  smiled. 


Man,  dignified,  ennobled,  lifted  high, 
And  reunited  with  Humanity, 


J  88  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Shall  glow  with  Rafaelle  tints  in  mind  and  face, 

And  vie  with  Angels  in  the  upward  race  ; 

Think  through  his  heart,  and  through  his  bosom  see, 

And  breathe  from  heaven  the  breath  of  charity  ; 

And  his  white-thoughted  intellect  be  made 

A  crystal  glass,  wherein  shall  be  displayed  ' 

The  reflex  image  of  divine  abodes. 

Ancient  Parnassus  with  its  mythic  gods 

Shall  be  transcended  on  the  natural  earth  ; 

And  man's  interior  worth 

Exterior  form  and  hue  shall  take,  and  fold 

His  soul  in  shape  more  grand  than  those  of  old 

That  Phidias  sculptured,  or  that  Homer  sang, 

When  the  twelve  cities  with  the  paean  rang. 

All  the  old  legends  shall  be  verified. 

In  man  such  vital  influence  reside, 

That  herbs  of  meanest  look  touched  by  his  hand 

Into  auroral  blossom  shall  expand. 

And  the  coiled  serpent,  quickened  by  his  power, 

Become  a  winged  globe,  a  spiral  flower, 

An  animated  beauty-form,  whose  flight 

Shall  be  like  some  fair  meteor  through  the  night ; 

His  hiss  be  changed  to  tones  like  any  flute, 

And  heard  through  air  like  an  ^Eolian  lute 

Distilling  liquid  cadence  ;  and  his  tongue, 

Poisoned  no  more,  shall  be  to  children  young 


S  T  A  R  R  V     HEAVEN. 

A  lovely  flame-flower.     He  shall  lick  their  hands, 
And  dwell  with  doves  conjoined  in  circling  bands. 

Matter  itself  shall  be  renewed  with  all 
Celestial  powers.     The  dark,  earthly  ball, 
Like  an  immortal  heart,  shall  thrill  with  life 
And  love,  which  is  life  manifest.     The  strife 
Of  hostile  elements,  the  slow  decay 
Of  Races,  wearing  by  degrees  away, 
Shall  terminate,  and  all  the  Nations  then, 
Like  highest  heaven's  harmonic  angel-men, 
Unfold  forever,  till  at  last  they  rise 
Together  from  the  earth  into  the  skies. 

Genius  shall  then  pertain  to  all  mankind, 

And  inspiration  thrill 

Each  human  heart  and  will, 
And  Deity  pervade  the  common  mind  ; 
Earth  speak  from  out  its  depths  in  harmony, 
And  through  the  tidal  pulses  of  the  sea 

Her  inward  melody 
Outbreathe. 

Then  Earth  shall  say  unto  the  stars 
"  Listen,  bright  myriads,  unto  you  I  call !" 
And  the  Star-Spirits,  from  their  diamond  hall, 
Shall  loving  answer  Earth  ;  and  all  the  scars 


189 


190  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Of  desolation,  all  the  accursed  Past, 
From  her  untroubled  spirit  fade  at  last. 

Then  with  their  crowns  of  fire 

The  Planetary  Choir 
Shall  circle  with  the  Earth  in  music  sweet ; 

And  Earth,  with  new-found  tongue, 

Join  their  immortal  song, 
And  the  grand  solar  orchestra  complete. 


STARRY     HEAVEN.  191 


fart  li 

SCENE.— The  Sea  of  Glass,  mingled  with  Fire,  seen  anciently  in 
Vision  by  St.  John. 


I  SEE  an  Angel,  holding  in  his  hand 

A  mighty  volume  with  a  seven-fold  seal. 
He  touches,  and  the  radiant  leaves  expand, 

And  music  from  it,  like  a  thunder-peal 
Awful  in  grandeur,  penetrates  my  breast. 

I  wake,  and  oh,  how  blest ! 
My  spirit  rises  to  a  spirit-sphere 

Whose  crystal  floor  is  interfused  with  fire  ; 
Immortal  harpers  gloriously  appear, 

Each  calling  music  from  a  heart-shaped  lyre, 
All  circling  round  a  shrine, 

Filled  with  ineffable  light  from  One  Divine. 

Out  from  the  shrine  come  thunderings  and  voices 
Whereat  the  Angel-host,  as  one,  rejoices. 


192  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

Hark !  hark !  I  hear  them  sing, 

"  Prepare,  0  Earth,  prepare  to  greet  thy  King!" 

In  that  great  Book  I  see  a  vision  shine  : 
A  Spirit,  with  a  countenance  divine, 
Touching  a  planet  with  a  golden  rod. 
That  orb  is  earth — that  form  divine  is  God ! 
A  seven-fold  shaft  of  elemental  light 

Flows  downward  from  the  face  of  Deity  ; 
Earth  feels  the  Spirit  of  the  Infinite. 

I  view  the  darkness  fade  from  land  and  sea. 

Earth,  Lazarus-like,  lay  buried,  but  One  spoke 
And  said,  "  Arise  !" 

Then  the  last  morning  broke. 

Earth  wears  her  graveclothes  yet — the  outward  forms 
Of  sect  and  party. 

O'er  her  head  the  storms 
Are  parting.     A  great  rainbow  shines  above  ; 

Thereon,  entranced,  I  read, 
Effulgent,  the  inscription,  "  God  is  Love  !" 

Archangel  hands  unloose,  O  Earth,  thy  shroud  : 
Archangel  forms  shine  from  beyond  the  cloud. 
A  moment,  and  Earth  shall  be  free  indeed. 


STARRYHEAVEN.  193 


fart  Slixtnn. 


SCENE.— The  Planet  Mercury,  and  the  Spiritual  Paradise  by  which 
it  is  inclosed 


ON  the  orb  Mercury  are  gems  which  are 
Thought-magnets,  as  the  needle  on  its  bar 
Points  to  the  region  of  the  Northern  Star ; 

And  as  the  Spirit  flies  to  its  own  place 

Where  Angels,  clothed  upon  with  heavenly  grace, 

Move  with  it  in  the  everlasting  race  ; 

The  magnet  being  God's  throne,  the  Spirit  Sun, 

Whereto  all  Angels  in  affection  run, 

And  where  all  varying  heavens  converge  in  one ; 

So  on  this  Planet  pure  all  minds  incline 
To  crystal  magnets,  which  from  Power  Divine 
Have  virtue  in  their  substance  crystalline, 
9 


194  AN     EPIC     OF     THE 

To  trance  the  nature  in  celestial  bliss. 

That  Mighty  Angel  saith  to  me,  "  Take  this," 

And  places  in  my  hand  a  gem  that  is 

A  seven-fold  crystal.     Now  it  melts  into 
My  hand ;  now  to  my  heart,  as  heavenly  dew 
Melts  in  a  flower ; — I  feel  my  life  renew. 

Pure,  diamond  thoughts,  like  crystals,  through  me  flow. 
The  River  of  Heaven,  whose  waves  reflect  the  glow 
Of  God's  own  brightness  wheresoe'er  they  go, 

In  spheral  music  undulates  through  me. 
The  air  is  filled  with  Angels,  and  I  see 
A  crystal  dome,  outpicturing  gloriously 

All  forms,  all  images.     It  is  a  dome 
Whose  outer  concave  is  the  radiant  home 
Of  Spirits  who  from  Mercury  have  gone. 

It  clasps  their  Planet.     'Tis  a  hollow  sphere, 

And  from  it,  mirrored  in  the  water  clear, 

And  breathed  in  sweetest  sound,  I  see  and  hear 

The  splendors  and  the  melodies  that  bless 
That  Upper  Home  with  joy  and  tenderness. 
Angels  have  human  hearts,  and  they  caress 


STARRYHEAVEN.  195 

Each  other,  and  each  angel-maid  is  fair 
And  sits  in  heaven's  transparence. 

Happy  pair, 
Descending  from  your  crystal  realm  of  air, 

Tell  me,  I  pray,  the  nature  of  that  state 
Wherein  ye  dwell  ?     What  influence  doth  create 
The  vastness  of  your  empire,  wise  and  great  ? 

Slowly  assembling  in  the  air,  I  see 

A  flock  of  strange,  bright  birds  ;  the  crystal  sea 

Of  ether  vibrates  Avith  their  melody. 

And  now  the  Youth  and  Maiden  on  me  turn 
Their  deep  impassioned  eyes,  that  glow  and  burn 
With  love  so  pure,  I  feel  my  spirit  yearn 

With  aspirations  for  a  life  Divine. 

Now  their  full,  blended  souls  inflow  through  mine. 

My  pulses  thrill  with  music  as  with  wine. 

I  hear  them  sing,  and  as  they  sing,  their  words 
Like  shining  particles  transform  to  birds, 
And  every  bird  in  shape  and  song  accords 

With  the  interior  melody  they  sing ; 
These  birds  fly  forth,  in  rapture  caroling, 
And  sweep  around  with  rapid,  radiant  wing, 


196  AN     KPIC     OF     THE 

And  then  dissolve  like  music  notes,  and  pass 
Like  sunbeams  through  the  crystal  air. 

Alas! 
The  vision  ends.     The  angel  takes  the  glass. 

My  hand  grows  paralyzed.     I  feel  as  one 
Who  sees  the  full-orbed  splendor  of  the  sun 
Eclipse  and  vanish,  just  as  day's  begun. 

The  Angel  opes  his  lips  ; 
My  soul  arises  from  its  deep  eclipse. 
"  Brother,"  he  says,  "  incorporate  this  truth 
Into  thy  mental  nature's  warp  and  woof. 
Stretch  forth  thy  hand  !" 

He  reaches  out  to  me 
The  gem-like  stone  again,  and  tenderly 
Speaks  on — "  That  stone  a  talisman  shall  be, 

"  Which  thou  shalt  wear  when  thou  to  Earth  returnest. 
So  long  as  thou  in  inmost  being  yearnest, 
So  long  as  thou  in  aspiration  burnest 

"  To  be  thyself  an  Angel,  sweet  and  wise, 
That  talisman  shall  keep  thee  from  surprise, 
And  every  morn  thou'lt  see,  with  spirit-eyes, 

"  Our  planet ;  and  thy  inmost  heart  shall  quiver 


STARRY      HEAVEN.  19/ 

With  solemn  harmony,  and  like  a  river 
Immortal  Wisdom  through  thee  flow  forever. 

"  And  when  thou  feelest  it  within  thy  palm, 
Upon  thy  spirit  shall  descend  a  calm, 
Deep  influence,  thy  weary  soul  to  balm 

In  precious  odors." 

Here  the  Angel  smiles — 
Pauses — and  I  arise  above  the  Isles  ; 
And  the  fair  planet  for  two  thousand  miles 

In  panoramic  loveliness  outspread 
Beneath  me  lies.     All  glorious  overhead 
Its  spiritual  Paradise  appears. 

Be  still,  my  foolish  heart,  away  thy  fears, — 

Thy  dreading  to  return 

Into  the  outer  form. 
Remember  thou  hast  unto  heaven  arisen, 

And  shalt  arise  again. 
Thou  bearest  in  thy  hand  a  precious  gem. 

Farewell !  farewell ! 
Blest  homes,  where  Beings  dwell 
Without  mistrust,  or  selfishness,  or  hate  ! — 
I  to  my  form  return,  and  to  its  fate. 


APPENDIX. 


AT  the  sitting  on  the  morning  of  the  thirteenth  day,  the  in- 
telligence which  inspired  the  Poem  signified  its  willingness  to 
answer  any  questions  which  S.  B.  Brittan  might  be  pleased  to 
propound,  respecting  its  origin  and  the  manner  of  its  production. 
Accordingly,  on  Friday  morning,  9th  inst. — the  day  after  the 
Poem  was  finished — we  submitted  a  number  of  interrogatories, 
which  were  promptly  and  appropriately  answered.  The  rec- 
ord of  this  interview  will  most  clearly  exhibit  the  singular 
claims  of  this  remarkable  Poem,  and  for  this  reason,  especially, 
we  append  it  to  this  volume. 

Mr.  Harris  being  entranced  at  the  residence  of  Charles 
Partridge,  and  in  his  presence,  at  No.  26  West  Fifteenth  Street, 
on  the  morning  of  Dec.  9th,  1853,  an  interview,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  faithful  record,  occurred  between  S.  B.  Brittau 
and  the  intelligence  which  communicated  the  Poem  entitled 
"  An  Epic  of  the  Starry  Heaven." 

QITESTION  1.  Has  the  Spirit  of  Mr.  Harris  been  separated  from  the  body  at  any 
time  during  the  delivery  of  the  Poem?  If  the  answer  be  iu  the  affirmative,  when? 
now  often  ?  and  how  long  ? 

ANSWER.  As  to  internals,  yes:  though  he  will  be  the  last 


200  APPENDIX. 

person  to  believe  it.  His  inmost  was  actually  attracted  from 
the  physical  structure.  He  was  absent,  commencing  at  that 
period  at  which  he  is  represented  as  rising  to  the  seventh  sphere 
of  this  planet,  in  the  first  part  of  the  Poem. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  the  projection  of  the  poems 
into  externals  in  the  month  of  March,  1850.  We  desire,  from 
the  interior,  to  give  a  record  of  an  occurrence  which  transpired 
in  this  city  at  that  time.  He  was  then  residing  in  Second 
Street.  The  house  was  visited  by  certain  Spirits,  some  of 
whom  were  members  of  the  society  of  a  poet's  heaven  (Spivits 
in  whom  the  lyrical  element  largely  predominates  dwell  to- 
gether in  lyrical  societies).  A  certain  Spirit,  who  resides  in 
the  intuitive  region  of  the  heaven  of  Spirits,  and  toward  the 
sun,  placed  him  in  a  trance  condition,  between  the  hours  of  ten 
and  eleven  in  the  evening,  at  a  time  when  he  was  still  in  the 
state  which  you  call  wakefulness.  and  appeared  standing  before 
him,  holding  in  his  hand  a  sealed  book,  having  seven  seals. 
Having  succeeded  in  producing  the  trance  state,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  view  several  pages  of  this  work,  though  he  retained 
a  consciousness  of  one  only.  This  page  appeared  to  him  an 
illuminated  landscape,  divided  into  three  planes.  It  was, 
however,  in  reality  a  cosmical  diagram.  He  will  himself,  in 
his  external  state,  give  a  description  of  it  as  it  appeared  to  him 
at  that  time.* 

The  Spirit  in  question  then  proceeded  to  show  him  a  series 
of  books,  which,  however,  in  his  external  condition,  he  recol- 
lected simply  as  minute  hieroglyphical  figures,  and  the  Spirit, 
addressing  himself  to  the  internal  mind  of  the  medium,  pointed 
to  the  first  of  these  hieroglyphs — that  being  the  present  Poem — 
and  said  to  him,  "Do  you  comprehend  that  with  all  your  at- 
tainments you  have  not  advanced  to  the  wisdom  contained  in 
this  ?"  This  question  was  asked  of  him  as  a  test  for  the  pur- 

*  Bee  Appendix  B. 


APPENDIX.  201 

pose  of  affording  a  demonstration  of  his  interior  capacity  to 
receive  the  truth,  as  knowledge  begins  in  humility.  He  an- 
swered in  a  childlike  manner,  after  hesitating  for  a  fraction  of 
a  moment.  "  Yes,  I  do  ;"  and  the  Spirit  said  to  him,  "  Be  faith- 
ful and  obedient,  and  in  four  years  this  volume  shall  be  open 
to  you."  He  was  immediately  attracted  out  into  his  ordinary 
state,  and  imagined  that  this  vision  was  a  dream,  and  that  he 
was  still  dreaming.  In  order  to  rivet  the  impression  on  his 
mind,  the  Spirit  caused  him  to  resort  to  a  variety  of  methods  to 
convince  himself  that  he  was  still  in  a  waking  state  until  he 
became  satisfied.  He  was  then  instantly  entranced  a  second 
and  third  time.  a"nd  the  vision  and  the  promise,  together  with 
the  inquiry,  were  twice  repeated,  and  after  each  vision  he  was 
again  restored  to  the  external  condition.  This  was  done  for 
the  purpose  of  impressing  his  mind  in  the  most  absolute 
manner  with  the  reality  of  the  visitation.  The  present  work 
is  given  as  an  introduction  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise 
given  at  that  time,  and  will  be  succeeded  by  others. 

Q.  2.  Whpn  the  Spirit  left  the  form,  was  it  necessary  for  some  Spirit  from  the 
superior  spheres  to  enter  the  body,  or  by  some  other  mode  to  establish  intimate 
relations  with  the  organism,  in  order  to  keep  up  the  vital  action? 

A.  Positive  Life  inflowed,  infusing  an  active  Nature-prin- 
ciple. 

Q.  3.  Please  explain  the  mode  whereby  the  medium's  Spirit  was  released,  and 
the  proeess  by  which  the  communicating  intelligence  possesses  and  controls  his 
bodily  organs. 

A.  A  Spirit  is  released  by  rising  above  the  body.  The 
powers  of  the  Spirit-world,  which  are  brought  to  bear  on  the 
Spirit  in  the  form,  are  so  far  superior  to  all  corporeal  restraints 
and  earthly  attractions  as  to  withdraw  the  Spirit;  but  when 
those  Spiritual  forces  are  diverted  or  withheld,  the  entranced 
one  yields  to  sublunary  attractions,  and  returns  again  to  the 
form. 

The  inspiring  Spirit  stands  in  the  Sun-sphere.     While  the 

9* 


202  APPENDIX. 

Spirit  of  the  medium  is  in  the  body,  he  is  to  that  body  as  the 
sun  to  its  planetary  organization;  but  when  he  leaves  his  body 
and  rises  to  the  Sun-sphere  himself,  the  society  of  Spirits  into 
whose  midst  he  rises  become  for  the  time  being  the  sun  of  his 
body,  and  their  will-forces  flow  down  into  its  ultimates,  and 
the  organs  are  passive  to  their  control ;  they  can  not  change 
the  organic  peculiarities,  but  must  operate  through  the  medium 
according  to  existing  organic  conditions. 

Q.  4.  Did  Mr.  Harris,  in  Spirit,  actually  visit  the  planets,  and  wore  the  localities 
and  scenes  described  in  the  Poem  disclosed  to  his  interior  vision  as  objective 
realities? 

A.  Spirits  who  stand  in  the  Sun-sphere  perceive  by  means 
of  an  odic  emanation  from  the  sun.  They  become  negative  at 
times  to  other  suns,  and  leaving  odylic  forms,  traverse  with 
inconceivable  rapidity  the  region  to  which  they  may  be  at- 
tracted, entering  into  any  given  solar  system.  For  the  moment 
they  are  drawn  into  rapport  with  the  intellect-spheres  of  the 
inhabited  planets;  they  are  attracted,  according  to  a  divine 
*w,  to  those  terrestrial  habitations  from  which  they  may 
derive  increased  vigor.  By  this  means  their  interiors  undergo 
a  continuous  expansion,  and  they  become  instructed.  Planets 
are  sub-centers  of  attraction,  and  suns  are  centers. 

Q.  5.  Did  the  general  influence  of  the  sphere  to  which  the  medium  was  trmis- 
poned  awaken  germs  of  images  already  latent  in  ihe  mind  ? 

A.  The  ideas  descended  into  the  mind  from  the  individual 
localities  to  which  he  was  intromitted,  attracted  to  themselves 
a  verbal  embodiment  in  the  seminal  chambers  of  the  brain, 
and  were  thence  projected  into  speech. 

Q.  6.  Mr.  Harris  speaks  of  having  been  conscious  of  a  mysterious  musical  action 
wiihin  him  for  some  time  before  the  delivery  of  the  Poem  and  during  its  produc- 
tion. Will  the  Spirits  please  explain  the  modus  operand*  whereby  these  internal 
phenomena  were  produced? 

A.  All  stages  of  mental  development,  like  the  growth  of 
plants,  crystals,  physical  organizations,  solar  systems,  spheres, 


APPENDIX.  203 

and  the  universe  itself,  save  when  dissonances  intervene,  are 
attended  with  melody.  Every  flower  speaks  through  its  pores  : 
all  things  that  live  utter  speech  according  to  their  kind.  The 
internals  of  this  medium  have  been  unfolded  through  a  stream 
of  influx  centered  in  the  solar  plexus,  and  the  internals  through 
all  the  spiritual  nerves  have  been  constantly  vibrated,  causing 
sentient  harmony.  Laterly,  a  beloved  Spirit,  who  on  earth 
was  known  as  a  composer  of  music,  has  fulfilled  an  important 
function  in  connection  with  his  development.  This  Spirit  and 
his  friends  have  frequently  executed  airs  and  symphonies, 
mainly  of  an  instrumental  character,  attended,  however,  with 
vocalization,  and  he  hdff  sensed  this  music,  though  seldom, 
with  much  distinctness.  He  is  now  to  pass  more  fully  into 
this  region  of  instrumental  harmony. 

Q.  7.  What  was  the  name  of  the  musical  composer  referred  to  in  the  answer  to 
the  preceding  question? 

A.  It  was . 

[The  name  was  communicated,  but  we  are  not  permitted  tr 
announce  it  publicly.] 

Q.  S.  What  name  did  the  Spirits  bear  while  on  earth,  which  Mr.  Harris  saw 
during  his  first  sitting? 

A.  He  saw  Dante  and  Petrarch.  Companies  of  Spirits  have 
also  gathered  to  witness  the  delivery  of  the  Poem,  as  an  inter- 
esting objective  phenomenon. 

Q.  9.  Will  the  Spirits  impart  to  us  a  more  definite  idea  respecting  the  nature 
of  the  talisman  given  to  Mr.  Harris  on  his  final  return  to  the  external  sphere? 

A.  It  was  what  we  call  a  sun-stone.  It  is  occult.  There  is, 
however,  a  constant  magnetic  relation  and  rapport  established 
between  his  nervous  organization  and  the  plane  of  Mercury  in 
the  sun-sphere,  by  means  of  it.  These  terms  will  be  unintel- 
ligible to  him  in  the  external,  and  to  most  others. 

Q.  10.  "Will  the  Spirits  append  any  explanatory  notes  to  this  Poem? 

A.  No  :  but  the  parties  present  may  supply  them,  if  any  aro 
deemed  to  be  necessary. 


204  APPENDIX. 


In  the  month  of  March.  1850,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, the  circumstance  which  I  am  about  to  narrate  occurred, 
and  though  it  may  affect  the  reader  with  incredulity,  I  am 
nevertheless  impressed  to  commit  it  to  the  world. 

During  the  day  I  had  been  in  a  singularly  calm  and  har- 
monious frame  of  mind,  a  state  equally  removed  from  exhilara- 
tion and  depression,  and  characterized  by  profound  peace.  In 
this  state  I  retired  to  my  sleeping  chamber  at  an  early  hour, 
not  in  a  somnolent  but  rather  in  a  quiet  and  meditative  condition. 
Having  entered  my  room,  I  became  first  of  all  conscious  of  a 
soft  white  luster,  different  at  once  from  the  ordinary  "as-light 
and  from  the  solar  ray,  and  this  light  appeared  equally  diffused 
throughout  the  room  into  which  I  had  entered  and  the  room 
which  I  had  left.  In  a  moment  I  was  sensible  of  a  mild  and 
tranquil  influence,  which  operated  powerfully  both  upon  the 
cerebral  and  cardiacal  systems,  and  caused  me  to  feel  as  if  my 
organism  were  pervaded  by  the  most  exquisite  harmony. 

I  was  now  impressed  to  look  up.  and  saw,  without  any 
astonishment  or  without  losing  in  any  degree  this  delightful 
calmness,  a  tall  and  majestic  Spirit,  apparently  in  the  perfection 
of  manhood.  His  brow  was  high  and  massive,  his  eyes  were 
of  a  dark-blue  color,  his  hands  delicate  and  with  taper  fingers, 
his  lips  wearing  an  expression  of  childlike  sweetness,  combined 
with  the  strength  and  vigor  of  a  most  positive  mind.  His  person 
was  attired  in  a  garment  shaped  like  the  Roman  toga.  Its  color 
was  white,  as  if  woven  from  a  fleece  of  a  silver  hue.  Upon  his 
brow  was  a  fillet  composed  of  flowers  of  the  lily,  and  the  leaves 
of  the  olive  and  the  vine,  the  flowers  gold,  and  the  leaves  dark, 
glossy  green. 

This  Spirit  stood  before  me  holding  in  his  right  hand  a  small 


APPENDIX.  205 

book,  which  appeared  to  be  bound  in  the  ancient  Gothic  style, 
and  clasped  with  a  seven-fold  seal.  Without  saying  a  word  he 
proceeded  to  open  the  book,  which  I  at  once  perceived  from  its 
peculiar  appearance  to  be  a  depository  of  divine  truth  and 
wisdom:  for  the  leaves  were  white  as  snow,  and  the  pages 
appeared  to  expand  as  my  vision  rested  on  them,  till  each  ap- 
peared of  a  folio  size. 

I  saw  the  Spirit  turn  over  these  leaves  with  considerable 
rapidity,  as  if  he  were  Jooking  for  a  particular  page,  and  as  he 
turned  them  I  saw  that  each  was  illuminated,  somewhat  after 
the  manner  of  an  ancient  missal,  and  that  exquisite  designs 
tinted  with  prismatic  colors  glittered  from  every  one.  I  was 
unable,  however,  from  the  rapidity  with  which  they  were 
turned,  to  distinguish  more  than  a  general  and  exquisite  har- 
mony of  tone  and  outline,  without  being  able  to  perceive  their 
specific  character. 

At  last  the  Angel,  for  so  I  am  impressed  to  style  him,  ap- 
peared to  have  turned  to  the  page  which  he  had  in  view,  and 
the  book  was  widely  opened,  and  the  leaf  turned  directly  to 
my  sight.  I  know  not  how  to  describe  it.  I  can  say  much, 
but  still  many  of  the  objects  which  I  perceived  in  it  will  be  left 
undescribed. 

Upon  a  leaf  which  expanded  and  deepened  as  I  gazed.  I  saw 
a  .paradisiacal  city,  and  the  appearance  of  a  world  vast  and 
glorious,  and  exhibiting  every  variety  of  scenery,  from  the  most 
quiet  and  ethereal  to  the  most  grand.  The  foreground  was 
occupied  by  groups  of  human  figures  clad  in  robes  of  purple, 
violet,  and  white,  but  the  prevailing  hue  was  purple,  shaded 
with  gold.  The  foliage,  the  flowers,  the  tall  and  stately  trees, 
the  gigantic  vines  that  rose  above  their  columns,  were  appar- 
ently tropical  in  their  nature,  and  characterized  by  extreme 
luxuriance  of  leaf  and  blossom,  by  massive  strength,  and  by 
the  most  splendid  yet  harmonized  coloring. 

The  sky  which  seemed  to  bend  over  the  scene  was  of  a 


206  APPENDIX. 

delicate  wine  color,  and  above  it  an  intense  golden  light  shone 
from  a  point  in  the  zenith,  and  yet  above  it.  This  effulgence 
seemed  living,  and  the  splendid  forms  of  animated  nature  below 
seemed  to  be  merely  its  receptacles.  I  observed  that  all  this 
light  appeared  to  emanate  from  a  sun-like  form  which  revolved 
with  inconceivable  rapidity,  and  in  that  sun  appeared  an  hiero- 
glyph which  denoted  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Upon  the 
upper  surfaces  of  the  clouds  or  nebula  which  floated  in  the 
firmament  above  the  landscape,  and  below  this  Spiritual  Sun. 
appeared  silver  globes,  each  of  which  seemed  ascending  to»- 
ward  the  sun  itself,  and  these  globes  appeared  each  to  be 
intelligent. 

Below  this  magnificent  vision,  at  the  lower  portion  of  the 
page,  appeared  two  lines  of  hieroglyphs,  in  all  numbering  per- 
haps two  hundred.  Each  of  these  appeared  formed  of  a  wind- 
ing series  of  involved  lines,  and  each  exhibited  the  prismatic 
colors,  though  in  various  degrees  of  brilliancy.  On  inspecting 
them  more  minutely.  I  perceived  that  these  were  all  emanations 
of  the  Spiritual  Sun,  and  that  minute  vortices  of  rays  were  in- 
volved in  each,  so  that  each  was  an  ultimate  expression  of  that 
Original  and  Creative  Brightness.  I  saw,  however,  that  these 
rays  were  of  the  same  nature  as  the  substance  of  the  various 
human  and  natural  objects  of  the  vast  landscape  and  city  ex- 
tended through  the  center  of  the  page. 

While  Iwas  contemplating  the  picture,  the  Angel  spoke  in 
a  voice  full  of  expression,  and  said  :  "  Do  you  perceive  that  all 
the  knowledge  which  hitherto  you  have  attained  to,  is  far 
exceeded  by  the  wisdom  contained  in  the  first  and  most  minute 
of  those  hieroglyphs?"  The  effect  of  his  address  was  to  pro- 
duce a  more  interior  illumination  of  intellect,  and  I  perceived, 
and  at  once  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

At  this  the  Angel  smiled  in  a  serious  way,  and  said,  with 
increased  and  even  with  paternal  gentleness.  "  Be  faithful  and 
obedient,  and  in  four  years  this  volume  all  shall  be  opened  to 


APPENDIX.  207 

you."    Saying  this  he  closed  the  book,  and  immediately  became 
invisible. 

I  found  myself  at  once  in  a  state  of  external  consciousness, 
fully  roused,  yet  with  my  mind  filled  with  the  vision,  and  could 
not  be  persuaded  but  that  I  must  have  been  dreaming.  I  re- 
sorted at  once  to  several  modes  of  convincing  myself  that  I  was 
in  a  waking  state,  and  that  I  was  not  spell-bound.  In  a 
moment  I  felt  confident  that  I  was  in  my  usual  condition,  and 
no  sooner  was  I  satisfied  on  this  point  than  again  the  Angel 
stood  before  me  and  talked  with  me,  repeating  the  identical 
vision,  and  closing  with  the  same  interrogation  and  promise.  I 
again  resorted  to  all  possible  experiments  to  prove  to  myself 
that  this  was  an  actual  waking  experience,  and  when  I  had 
done  this  the  Angel  appeared  a  third  time  and  said,  "  Are  you 
satisfied?"  I  replied  that  I  was  fully;  at  this  he  again  opened 
the  volume,  turned  to  the  same  page,  asked  me  the  same 
question,  made  me  the  same  promise,  and  disappeared. 


208  APPENDIX. 


The  "  EPIC  OF  THE  STARRY  HEAVEN"  was  chiefly  dictated 
at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Charles  Partridge,  No.  26  West,  Fifteenth 
Street.  As  it  may  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  to  have  all  the 
facts  connected  with  its  production,  the  following  statement, 
embodying  the  places  at  which  the  several  sittings  occurred, 
the  dates,  names  of  the  witnesses  etc.,  is  subjoined. 

Mr.  Partridge,  by  particular  request,  acted  as  amanuensis 
during  the  delivery  of  the  entire  Poem,  except  the  portion  given 
at  Brooklyn,  on  occasion  of  the  first  sitting,  when  Mr.  Leavitt 
served  in  that  capacity. 

FIRST  SITTING. — Thomas  L.  Harris  was  at  the  residence  of 
Dr.  Isaac  Harrington,  in  Brooklyn,  L.  I.,  on  Thursday  afternoon, 
Nov.  24th,  1853,  when  he  was  unexpectedly  entranced  by  the 
agency  of  spirits,  as  was  believed,  and  in  the  presence  of  Mrs. 
Harrington  and  Mr.  Leavitt  commenced  the  delivery  of  the 
Poem  entitled  as  above. 

SECOND  SITTING. — Friday  evening.  Nov.  25th,  the  delivery 
of  the  Poem  was  continued  at  the  residence  of  Charles  Partridge, 
in  presence  of  himself  and  other  members  of  his  family. 

THIRD  SITTING. — Saturday  evening,  Nov.  26th,  occurred  at 
the  same  place,  Mr.  Partridge  alone  being  present. 

FOURTH  SITTING. — Monday  evening,  Nov.  28th.  present  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Partridge. 

FIFTH  SITTING.— Tuesday,  Nov.  29th,  present  Charles 
Partridge. 

SIXTH  SITTING. — Wednesday  morning.  Nov.  30th,  the  Preface 
was  given. 

SEVENTH    SITTING. — Wednesday   evening,    Nov.    30th,    the 


APPENDIX.  209 

interview  occurred  at  the  house  of  C.  P.;  present,  Dr.  J.  R. 
Orton,  S.  B.  Brittan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Partridge,  and  their  son. 

EIGHTH  SITTING. — Thursday  morning,  Dec.  1st,  Mr.  Harris 
continued  the  delivery  of  the  Poem  at  the  same  place,  in  the 
presence  of  C.  P. 

NINTH  SITTING. — On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  the  inter- 
view occurred  as  above. 

TENTH  SITTING. — Friday  morning,  Dec.  2d,  the  delivery  of 
the  Poem  was  continued  at  56  St.  Mark's  Place,  Mrs.  Merwin, 
her  mother,  and  C.  P.  being  present. 

ELEVENTH  SITTING. — Friday  evening  the  seance  occurred  at 
26  West  Fifteenth  Street;  present,  Dr.  Orton,  Dr.  Frisbee,  H. 
Hebbard,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merwin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  D.  Stuart, 
and  John  Stuart. 

TWELFTH  SITTING. — Saturday  morning,  Dec.  3d,  C.  P.  and 
Isaac  C.  Pray  were  present. 

THIRTEENTH  SITTING. — Continued  at  the  usual  place,  in  the 
presence  of  C.  P.  and  L.  Leavitt. 

FOURTEENTH  SITTING. — Sunday  morning,  Dec.  4th,  no  wit- 
nesses present  except  C.  P. 

FIFTEENTH  SITTING. — Occurred  on  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  at  the  usual  place;  present  C.  P.  and  A.  S.  Gibbs. 

SIXTEENTH  SITTING. — Monday  morning,  Dec.  5th,  there  was 
no  one  present  but  C.  P. 

SEVENTEENTH  SITTING. — Monday  evening,  Mr.  Harris  con- 
tinued the  delivery  of  his  grand  Epic  at  the  house  of  C.  P.,  on 
which  occasion  Dr.  R.  T.  Hallock  and  Rev.  Mr.  Calthorpe  were 
present. 

EIGHTEENTH  SITTING. — Tuesday  morning,  Dec.  6th,  present 
C.  P. 

NINETEENTH  SITTING. — Tuesday  evening  (same  day),  no 
additional  witnesses  present. 

TWENTIETH  SITTING. — Wednesday  morning,  Dec.  7th,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Charles  Partridge  and  S.  B.  Brittan  were  present. 


210  APPENDIX. 

TWENTY-FIRST  SITTING. — On  the  evening  of  the  same  day 
the  Poem  was  continued  in  presence  of  the  following-named 
persons :  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merwin,  S.  B.  Brittan,  Dr.  R.  T.  Hal- 
lock,  William  Fishbough,  Prof.  Mapes,  Dr.  L.  T.  Warner,  C. 
D.  Stuart,  Dr.  J.  F.  Gray,  D.  McMahon,  jr.,  Isaac  C.  Pray, 
Michael  Burke,  and  Henry  Stebbins. 

TWENTY-SECOND  SITTING.— Thursday  morning,  Dec.  8th, 
the  Poem  was  concluded  at  the  house  of  Charles  Partridge,  no 
other  witnesses  being  present  on  the  occasion. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  the  session  on  Wednesday  morning, 
Dec.  7th,  that  S.  B.  Brittan  was  requested  to  write  the  general 
Introduction,  which,  together  with  Appendix  A  and  C,  was 
accordingly  furnished  by  the  party  named. 

NOTE. — It  was  originally  stated  in  the  SPIRITUAL  TELEGRAPH  that  the  time  em- 
ployed in  delivering  the  "  Epic  of  the  Starry  Heaven"  was  thirty  hours  and  thirty 
minutes;  but  on  a  careful  examination  of  the  original  manuscripts,  it  was  found 
that  this  statement  was  erroneous,  and  that  the  actual  time  was  but  twenty-aim 
/tours  and  sixteen  minutes,  as  stated  in  the  Introduction.  B.  B.  E. 


K  3kttfnn'0  Ijriritunl  lllirnnj. 


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